Fate:Zero Hour Redux
by Rein Hellfire
Summary: A weary ninja-turned-magus, that has accomplished all he ever wanted, with few regrets. A King, wishing to rewrite her past, who has lived a life full of regrets. Placing their hopes, their selfish desires into a grail. One remembering how to value his life, and the other understanding that standing by herself is not possible anymore, that she is not fighting by herself. Rewritten
1. Prologue: Point Zero

**A/N: Yeah, we're not doing that again. I was reading my other rewrite of the original story, and the amount of angst... No. What I was thinking when I wrote it, I do not know, but I have officially wasted five days of my life. At any rate...**

**This is really a rewrite of a rewrite, I suppose. My previous draft was way too close to the original, and was quite possibly more long-winded and rant-like. And it was pretty damn depressing. And boring. So, we're completely creating things from scratch. Of course, I wrote about thirty thousand words in the previous drafts, before scrapping them. So I have to use some material from those drafts. But the rest of the plot? We're redoing it. **

**I better put the standard disclaimer up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. I barely understand some concepts in both worlds... I just depressed myself.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

**Rein Hellfire presents to you...**

**In accordance with the rules on this lovely website...**

**Fate/Zero: Hour**

Prologue: Point Zero

"Let me get this straight. You want me to participate in a war."

"Yup."

"A war that takes place in a fucking city of all things, filled with many, many civilians."

"Yes."

"A war that has had absolutely no victor for the past few hundred years."

"Uh-huh."

"You want me to participate in the Heaven's Feel."

"Got that right."

The first man gave the second one a dead-pan stare. "Can I ask a question, you old vampire?"

"Ask away, Naruto."

The first man, Naruto, cleared his throat. "Root dammit, why are you trying to get me to fight in a war AGAIN, old man?"

The blond-haired man, Naruto, was tall- about six feet in height, give or take a few inches. His spiky blond hair had two bangs that framed his face, and the back was shoulder length. He was well built, but not overly so, more like a martial artist or runner's build, and he had piercing cerulean blue eyes that danced lively, but had a jaded look in them... As if he had seen far, far too much in his twenty years of existence.

His most noticeable features, though, were three whisker marks adorning both of his tanned cheeks. It could be noted that he was quite handsome, almost edging into the 'pretty boy' category. Compounding this image, he was currently standing, hands in pockets, dressed in a black suit, a completely black suit.

The other man, Zelretch, or more specifically, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, was a graying old man, with gray hair, gray beard, etc. He possessed remarkable crimson eyes, and was also dressed in black clothing of a different fashion.

He was a vampire, or more specifically, a dead apostle ancestor, and master of the Second true magic, "Kaleidoscope".

Zelretch winced. "Ah, I forgot about that."

Naruto's eyebrow began twitching in annoyance. "You know damn well that I don't enjoy endangering civilians. This entire idea is a bad one. Fighting in a conflict over something as stupid as the Holy Grail sounds like a very, very bad idea, especially if other magi are involved."

"... But it'll be entertaining."

"You'd kick a puppy if you found it amusing."

Zelretch raised his hands. "Got me there."

"Give me a good reason to fight in the Heaven's feel." Naruto crossed his arms and began tapping a foot against the floor.

"Well..." Zelretch sighed. "The prize for winning is... A wish."

"A wish? Something as stupid as a wish?"

"No, actually a wish. As in, your deepest desires will be granted."

Naruto went silent. "A wish, huh. So, this debacle is over a mythical wish-granting device."

"Yeah."

"And... It can..."

"Yes, it can actualize miracles and accomplish the impossible."

"..."

Zelretch smirked. "So, now you're actually considering it."

"Actually, no." Naruto smiled, a sad smile. "I have no regrets, you know. In the end, I made my world better. I brought about a change, a chance for a better existence."

"After walking a path of blood. But, don't you want to change that? Make it so that all of those losses never happened?"

The younger man shook his head. "If I rewrote the past like that, I would be spitting on the corpses of all of my friends. I mourn and remember them, but I won't regret the decisions that I made, ever. I have already accomplished more than most people could in a lifetime. I don't have a wish that I would like to see made true."

"You know you've already been chosen, right?"

Naruto rolled up a sleeve and exposed a glowing, stylized sword-like mark on his left hand. "I am aware. This thing appeared about a week ago."

"The grail wouldn't choose you, unless there was something that you wanted, some inner desire."

Naruto cast weary blue eyes onto his teacher. "I am aware... We both know, that I have had three desires. I wanted to bring about a gentler existence to my world. I have done this. I wanted to give my friends and precious people, my comrades in arms happiness. I have done this, and still am doing this, every day that I live."

"And you want to see her again, don't you."

"It would be nice. Yes." Naruto smiled, rather weakly. "But I won't because I will not disturb the sleep of those who have passed. She is the one regret that I have. She should not have died."

"You do know, the grail is capable of bringing back the dead, don't you?"

Naruto raised a hand. "Zelretch, don't tempt me. Please, I beg you."

The old magician complied. "Can I not convince you then?"

Long minutes of silence, in which both men regarded each other silently, one with piercing cerulean eyes, the other with crimson.

Eventually, the younger blond spoke.

"We both know that I have already decided what my course of action is to be…" He sighed. "You old man… manipulating my feelings like that…"

"In that case..." Zelretch pulled out a bag. "A catalyst. Take it."

"Thank you." And with a flash of golden light, Naruto vanished.

Zelretch sighed. "You damn brat. You always had an obsession with protecting people, especially when it involved Akane." He made to leave. "Best of luck to you, then. I can only hope that you'll find that piece of your heart that is missing."

A ray of moonlight passed over the old man's form. When it had passed, he was gone.

* * *

The blond-haired man hummed quietly to himself as he continued laying out the summoning circle in the middle of his modest apartment. It had been a while since he had lived for strictly for himself. It seemed as if his relatively normal (For him) lifestyle was about to change, radically at that.

_Although, _he mused, _I cannot be classified as strictly human now... Can't I? Because I'm not of this world... Strictly speaking, of course. And then, there's... That little factor._

Naruto Uzumaki admitted that he was a flawed existence. He had his best friend kill him in order to bring about peace to the world. He lost all capacity to care for other beings after his friend died. No, his lover, friend... wife...

And the person known as Naruto Uzumaki, after realizing that he was a competitor in the fourth Fuyuki Grail War, laughed at the very concept. A war that would grant the winner one wish. One single wish. What a selfish idea.

He was already dead the minute Hinata died. A dead man had no business living when others suffered. And dead men had no right in wishing for things, not when there were other people out there. And yet, he found himself a master in this war for a selfish desire. However…

Naruto shook his head clear of the depressing thoughts. He cleared his throat and stood up.

"It's almost time then. At midnight- that's when my powers will be at their peak."

He was currently standing in the middle of a spacious room in a penthouse apartment suite, which had a circle drawn of blood imprinted on the middle of the floor. He was wearing a black suit, completely black, and was currently rummaging in a bag for something. He found the object and pulled it out.

It was a sheath, a sheath for a sword. More specifically, a European Broadsword. Even more specifically, the holy sword given to King Arthur by the Lady in the Lake. And what a sheath it was. It was a luxurious piece of equipment made of gold and decorated with blue enamel that seemed more like a treasure to show dignity and nobility, like a crown or staff, than a weapon. It was inscribed with Fairy Letters on its center to signify that it was not, in fact, a work of mankind, but something... More. This was the conceptual weapon, Avalon. The ever-distant Utopia.

It was, he mused, one of the most beautiful things that he had seen. Quite fitting of something that embodied one of his more inner desires.

Naruto placed the sheath onto a makeshift alter. "That is a beautiful sheath... Old man Zelretch really must have done some digging around for it..."

Zelretch had filched Avalon from the Einzberns as a matter of fact, after they had excavated it from Cornwall. The reason he gave it to Naruto as a catalyst for the ritual? He thought it would be... Entertaining, to say the least. Even if it was a pain in the ass to actually steal the sheath.

Zelretch is quite possibly the biggest troll in the nasuverse though.

"Might as well get the ritual started."

It was 11:59 pm. One month before the Fourth Fuyuki Grail War. An apartment in Tokyo, Japan. The residence of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed magus in training, apprentice to Wizard Marshal Kishua Zelretch Schweinorg. The hollow man.

He shook his head of these distracting thoughts when he noticed the clock tick over to twelve. The blond-haired Magus began the incantation. The circle, that circle drawn of blood began glowing. Theatrics were not needed in a summoning. The only things required was an artifact, to better the chances of choosing a select servant, and a circle with a Magus. The grail did the actual summoning.

"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg."

The glowing increased, and the blonde magus could feel the prana surging through his circuits like blood through veins.

"The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate."

More prana flowing, a buzz of power emerged, grating upon sensitive ears. Avalon began glowing, as if it could sense the return of-

"Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill)."

Was it worth it? Was it worth conducting this ritual and beginning another conflict?

"Repeat every five times."

"Simply, shatter once filled."

It probably wasn't. Naruto himself had no clue why he would even want a wish. He had already lived one life, and he never regretted the painful path he took.

Or he did have regrets. He had two regrets: that he had to spill all of that blood in order to bring about a change, and that… a person died who shouldn't have.

"――――I announce.

Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.

In accordance with the resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer."

So, if the blond had one wish that could be spoken in coherent words...

"Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead."

Naruto was tired of war, oh so tired. He'd participate in this one last conflict, if only to protect those innocent lives that were endangered by this conflict. Whoever devised this entire system should be kicked in the balls for making it take place in a populated city.

One Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg sneezed and shivered, along with another, Matou Zouken.

The other reason? Some deeper, darker, desire that conflicted with every single one of his ideals.

_What is my heart's true desire then? What is my desire?_

You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――"

And with a bright light, a blinding light-

The world disappeared in a flash of white, a burst of energy.

And when all had settled-!

Smoke billowed from the summoning circle, and the silhouette of a slim figure was discernible. Then that figure spoke.

"I am servant Saber. I ask of you. Are you my Master?"

Three weeks before the start of the fourth heaven's feel. On what could be called a night of fate. All stories begin at a single point, at a beginning. And so, the story begins, a tale of masters, of knights and heroes. A grand tale, a sad tale, one that would have ended in tragedy, but instead will take a different path.

Whether for better or worse is to be determined.

**A/N: And that's the revised version. I'm going to skip directly to the start of the war next chapter, because I really hate writing filler now. Thirty thousand words of filler. (Shudders). Already, we see differences from the previous story. **

**So. Read. Review. Hit that button on the bottom of the screen. Constructive criticism is appreciated, ideas for the story, anything. Flames will be read but ignored.**

**Rein Hellfire, signing out.**

**Update #1: Well, frack me sideways. Revised description of Zelretch. I completely messed THAT up. Thank The Another One for his review, otherwise I probably would have completely missed that little tidbit.  
**

**Update #2: Well... Something happened. I was going to upload chapter one, but... screwed up on me. Meaning that I have to reformat everything... Shit. Sorry about the false alarm. Working on it!**

**Update #3: Edited some things in the story line to make this story flow better.**


	2. The First Day

**A/N:**

**Wow. I feel so loved right now. The amount of views that this story has gotten has already surpassed the previous prologue.**

***_Does Happy Dance*_**

**Anyway... To answer some questions and concerns!**

**Probably going to be a Naruto and Saber pairing. Probably. With, like, ninety-nine point nine percent certainty. Well, who the fuck did you think I was going to pair Naruto up with? Bluebeard?**

**No, we're not putting limiters on Naruto, simply because, after going over the Nasuverse lore, and back at the Naruto-verse... Essentially, if I were to nerf Naruto, he'd probably be unable to take on the more higher-class servants without fatal injury. That was one of the bigger mistakes that I made in my previous story, when I was writing that fight scene with Tobi I realized: I nerfed too hard and too fast, and too much, making that entire fight scene completely unbelievable.**

**So, we're not doing that again. Speaking of Obito, that entire incident will probably be explained away in later chapters. Not going to get into detail yet. Same thing with Naruto's powers as a magus. Kekeke...**

** Ah, I almost forgot about the disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. If I owned Naruto, then those Sharingan? They wouldn't nearly be as UBER-HAXOR-OMG-OVERPOWERED as they currently are. I would start ranting, but I'd continue on for about ten-thousand words if I did. Seriously though, where the fuck did Kishimoto pull THOSE out of? I literally flipped a table when I saw Madara pwn all five kage at once with those HAXOR tennis balls that came from SOMEONE's ass.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter One: The First Day

"_Saber, what would you like to eat?" A handsome spiky-haired blond was currently rummaging through the fridge of his small apartment. A blond girl in a blue skirt and white shirt was sitting at the table, utensils in hand._

_"It does not matter to me, master." Was the stoic reply of the girl._

_"Mou, Saber, you're horribly un-fussy as to what you enjoy eating, aren't you?" The blond man waved a tanned arm in the air. "Do you really have no preference?"_

_"Whatever master cooks is delicious though..." Was the other blond's statement, with a small amount of drool dripping from her mouth at the thought of her master's cooking. "I cannot decide between all of those delicacies..."_

_"Thank you. I never thought that I would be praised for my cooking skills, of all things." Naruto chuckled, clearly amused by his servant's gluttony._

_"I must say, you are a remarkable cook, master."_

_A nostalgic, sad look came across the apron-clad man's face. "Legacy of a misspent youth. I had to learn how to cook for myself because I lived alone for such a long time." _

_Both master and servant were silent for a while, before the cheerful mood and smile returned to the whiskered blond._

_"I'll just cook one of everything then." Naruto smiled gently at his servant, before turning back to his pantry. "How does that sound?"_

_"..."_

_"Saber, you're drooling."_

_"Ah! Er. Thank you, master."_

_"Not a problem. This is what friends do for each other, eh?"_

_The blue and white clad girl looked down at her hands, which were clasping a tri-pronged kunai. "Yes. Friends..."_

* * *

Three weeks later.

"Naruto, we're arriving." The blue-eyed shinobi turned magus felt a small hand rest gently on his shoulder before returning to its former position.

"Eh? Stupid sun..." Naruto yawned and stretched, before rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, all the while cursing under his breath about how he would 'Destroy that evil depraved annoying light', and after waking up fully, realizing that he was in an airplane seat and said light was from the nearby window.

"Naruto, you're making a scene." Saber sighed, clearly put out by the antics of her master.

"...'M not."

A small smile played its way across Saber's lips. "Yes you are."

"No."

"Naruto, you're making a scene now."

The well-dressed magus turned to see his fellow passengers stare at him curiously. He grinned his famous foxy grin. "Whoops."

It was a game that they played on occasion, to see who was more, in Naruto's words, 'Mule-headed and stubborn' than the other.

Naruto almost always lost though. He claimed that he couldn't deny such a cute face victory, causing Saber to blush and act embarrassed, and then promptly demand for him to cook her food in an attempt to cover up said blush and embarrassment. Speaking of food...

"No, Saber. I'm not cooking anything for you tonight. We have to scout out the area first, remember?"

The servant sighed and crossed her arms, clearly irritated by the entire situation.

"Tomorrow then?"

"Of course." Naruto appeared almost contemplative. "You know, I thought that you would be more... Off-put by the entire idea of manned flight."

"The Holy Grail gives me the relevant information that I need to function in modern society." Saber replied curtly.

"Still though." He chuckled lightly. "You're downright unflappable then. The first time I saw a plane, I damn near crapped my pants."

"The entire idea is not that unusual."

"Actually, it is. But we won't go into semantics here." His entire demeanor became serious, more professional. "So we've arrived then. Close to Fuyuki city, then."

"Yes."

Naruto sighed. "And so, war is upon us once again. Another conflict in a cycle of endless conflicts."

"But, we will win, Naruto. After all... I am the most excellent of the servant classes, Saber. And you are one of the best masters that I could have had."

"As long as the innocent don't get hurt by the war." He turned away. "No collateral damage."

"Of course."

"As for your wish..."

"..."

"You're still thinking about _that _wish, aren't you." The blond magus continued. He sighed when he noticed that Saber didn't respond. "... So you are then. Just know that no matter the decision, I'll support you every step of the way."

Saber folded her hands over her lap. "And I thank you for that."

"Of course. We are friends, are we not?"

"... Yes. We are friends."

* * *

The blond master smiled. "Well, this is the place then. Our new base of operations, for the time being."

It was a lush affair, walled off and containing a garden that was well tended. Walking through the garden, one could observe that there was a house there, a traditional Japanese home that was actually quite large- capable of housing a decent sized family. Everything was well kept. (Emiya Shirou's house)

"It took me forever to get down all of those seals." Naruto griped. "Bounded fields, at least ten sealing arrays... This place is a literal fortress now. Nothing gets in if I don't allow it to."

He placed a palm on the iron gate, and an array of complex symbols and runes arranged in a circular fashion instantly began to glow, before dying out. The gate swung open.

"We're here then."

Three weeks after the first servant was summoned, Naruto Uzumaki and servant Saber arrived in Fuyuki City.

"I must admit, these last few weeks have been... Relaxing." Saber admitted reluctantly.

The blue-eyed blond sweat-dropped. "Most of that 'relaxing' was us fighting dead apostles and psychopath magi."

"It had its highlights though." The servant replied calmly. "Even you must admit that."

Naruto cracked a grin at that. "True. For starters, you aren't acting like a _complete_ ass the way you did anymore."

"I never did." Saber sulked. "A heroic spirit such as myself could never act with such improper decorum."

Naruto stared at his servant with a slight twitch in his eyebrow. "And I don't believe that I am delusional." He slid open the door, and paused when he beheld the contents of the room.

"Old man Zel." He muttered flatly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Zelretch twitched with annoyance from where he was sitting. "Can't a teacher greet his student?" He picked up a cup of tea that was steaming next to him, and took a sip from it.

"You know damn well that you don't make random house calls all that often." He leveled a peaceful gaze onto his teacher. "May I inquire as to why exactly you are here?"

The dead apostle ancestor shrugged. "I need to talk."

"About?"

He waved a hand in dismissal. "Not to you. To your servant."

Now this got some confusion from Naruto and Saber, who was acquainted with the old vampire through her master. Sadly. She still could not believe that someone as powerful as Kishur Zelretch Schweinorg could be as immature as a five-year old at times. Then again, one of the strongest people that she knew, her master Naruto, had his fair share of immature moments.

Of course, someone able to fight a force of nature head on was not to be trifled with.

"Scale level?" Naruto inquired.

Zelretch made a nonchalant noise. "Five to seven-ish."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That's actually quite serious there." He sighed. "Do I have to be present for this entire debacle?"

"It would be better if you did not."

The blond sighed. "Well... I do have to get some ingredients for cooking. I'll be leaving now."

"Naruto. Will you be alright on your own?"

The suited blond nodded. "I'll be perfectly fine. The only other servant that has been summoned so far is Assassin, and I am confident that I can handle him if needed."

"Then go buy ingredients to cook delicious food with." Zelretch waved cheekily.

Naruto sighed and strolled out of the house, leaving behind an old man and a stone faced spirit.

Once he had left, Zelretch spoke. "I assume... That you wish to know what I want to say to you, correct?"

"That would be a reasonable assumption, yes."

"Very well then." The master of the Second Magic sighed. "It's about the brat."

"Naruto?"

Zelretch smiled, a toothy leer. "Ah, so you're fond of him then. Just three weeks ago, you refused to call him by name. What changed, I wonder, to allow the cold King to act cordial around her master?"

"..." Saber blushed slightly and looked away. "What I call my master and do with my master is none of your business, even if you are my master's teacher. Is there a point behind this drivel?"

"Actually, yes." Zelretch lost his cheery demeanor. "It's more of a request, really. Please don't hurt him, at least, not without good cause."

"... What are you saying?"

"Naruto's devoted to his 'precious people'. Heavily so. It's against every rule in his book to backstab or betray a comrade. And he's fiercely protective of those he considers 'precious' to him, to the point of being suicidal. That boy places no value in his own life." Zelretch's eyes softened a little. "I know for a fact that he views you as a partner and friend."

Saber sighed a little and closed her eyes. "He's... A unique being, isn't he. He knows my status as a knight, and yet... He refuses to believe that I am anything but human, and... Barges into one's life, demanding amicable relations. I can safely say, that he is a very good friend and partner on the field of battle." Her lips twitched upwards. "He is a respectable individual overall, even if his methods in combat are... Questionable. He has not lied to me, nor ignored me, in fact, he has done his best to interact with me."

"Naruto has that effect. He changes people, doesn't he? He has all the charisma of a king, with none of the mindset."

Saber raised an eyebrow. "In battle, when he gets serious, he is terrifying. In normal life... It is strange, how such a care-free being can exist, after going through so much..."

Zelretch was actually serious, for once. "I'm worried about him. Lately, he seems more driven, more... Broken, if you will. As you know, he's been accepting the harder contracts, the ones that are dangerous and... Sickening."

Saber sighed. "The one flaw that he has, is that he holds no value in his own life. For such a pure soul to believe that he is that worthless is absolutely confounding."

"Just as you believed that you were not worthy, eh?" Zelretch chuckled.

"It is as I said. Naruto... Changes people. It is quite inexplicable." Saber sighed. "Now... I am unsure as to what I desire. Part of me still longs to make a better past, but the other part of my heart yearns for the future, even if I am fated to have no future. It is maddening. And yet... I have him to thank for that, because even if it was only for a little while..." The green-eyed blond looked out a window and gazed out at the street. "I was able to have all of this."

More silence. No talking, merely the chattering of men and women on the streets and the roaring that was that of a city, of modern civilization.

"Take care of him, Saber. I would hate to lose a source of amusement, and one of the few people that can put up with me. But most importantly... please save him from himself, from his own conflicting desires."

"You know that I will. I would have even if you hadn't asked me." She sighed, a sound of utter content and relaxation, as Zelretch got up and walked out the door.

"... He is a better person than most men could ever aspire to be, at any rate." She muttered, continuing to smile, nostalgic, tragic and beautiful. A rustle of fabric, as she got up, dusted off her blue skirt and white blouse. "... As a knight, a hero, and as a friend, I'll grant my master that prayer of 'Salvation'. After all, what kind of servant would I be if I did not?"

* * *

Naruto sighed. "It begins, then... Arturia." He threw a manila file onto the small table, where master and servant were situated. "Shall we prepare for war then? King of Knights?"

The servant sighed. "You know that I dislike all of this planning."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "If you recall, most of our victories in battle were due to superior planning."

"True..." She paused. "Have you determined the identities of all of the masters, then?"

"As of three hours ago, I was able to uncover our opponents and who we will be fighting, thanks to my trusty network of spies." He smirked. "And you say that intel is overrated."

"Naruto. The data." The shorter blond stated bluntly, in no mood for banter. Battle was a serious business.

"Ah, yes." He mentally prepared himself, and Saber rolled her eyes as her master prepared to shift into 'lecture mode'. He really was an outspoken individual.

"Now, as we all know, there are seven masters in each Grail War, for seven classes. Three of which come from the three founding families, the Tohsaka, Matou, and Einzbern. The Magus Association sends one representative, and the rest of the masters are determined by the grail. From what my spies have told me... This line up of masters should prove to be fairly intimidating."

He opened the folder, and spread five pictures onto the table.

"These are the ones chosen by the grail to compete in this war, from what I can determine. The Tohsaka family head, Tokiomi Tohsaka is a master. From the Einzberns, they have contracted an individual known as Kiritsugu Emiya. The Magus Association has sent Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi." Naruto frowned. "He's an asshole. Idiots aside... Archibald's student, Waver Velvet, has actually managed to steal his teacher's catalyst and is a competitor. And finally, a priest from the Burial Agency, amazingly enough. His name is Kirei Kotomine. The Matou master is Kariya Matou, but I haven't really been able to get much information on him." The spiky haired blond took a few breaths.

His servant folded her hands in her laps and winced. "Most of this is new. I have never even heard of three of these names until today."

"Magi are secretive and irritating, what can I say? As good as my informants are, they are not omnipotent.

"Fair enough. How would you rate their levels of danger?"

Naruto hummed, in deep contemplation.

"The El-Melloi, I can defeat with extreme ease. Velvet is a young magus, inexperienced. Tohsaka is a skilled magus, however, he is predictable, too set in his ways. Really, what it comes down to... Kotomine and Emiya. Personally, I think that Emiya is quite possibly the most dangerous master in this entire war."

Saber raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Barring myself, yes." He maintained a completely serious expression, proving that he wasn't kidding when he claimed that Kiritsugu was deadly. "The reason for this, is because Emiya has a... Reputation." Naruto's face was hard, stony-faced wasn't a good enough description to describe his expression. "They, the they being the Magus Association, call him... The Magus Killer."

"Reputation?"

"Emiya Kiritsugu. Last scion of the Emiya family. Free-lance assassin, well known for hunting dead apostles and sealing designates. Notable in the fact that he does not view himself as a Magus, and he is damn good at his job. However, the reason why I view him as dangerous, is because he reminds me of a blue-eyed, blond haired boy, oh so long ago." He scowled. "That man is what I could have become. He will do anything to kill his target, anything for the sake of the mission."

Saber frowned. "You mean then, that he is..."

"Yes. He is similar to me, once upon a time, except for the fact that I would never betray my allies or endanger the innocent right now, though I have in the past. This man... He is what I was, and that is what terrifies me, because that man had a habit of killing innocents and those only vaguely related to his targets in order to kill his target in the first place. I am fairly certain that there has not been a single cowardly trick he has not used in the history of being a mercenary. If he deems a tactic would be enough to kill his opponent or lure them into the open, he would use it regardless of how many people would be caught in the crossfire."

The pair, master and servant sat in silence.

"Kiritsugu is the most dangerous master. He has backing from the Einzbern, and so, he should be able to procure a catalyst that can summon a servant that is truly exceptional in nature. He is an assassin, a well-trained and skilled one, and most importantly, he is not bound by the rules and regulations of magi, and he most certainly does not possess the same mindset as one."

"I... See." Saber replied slowly. "Can you beat him?"

Naruto laughed. "Of course, in a fair battle. But that man... Will not fight fair. But I should be able to, even if the odds are against me." He grinned, a predatory and bloodthirsty grin. "Besides, I am not a magus either. I am an old soldier, an assassin by upbringing, and I have seen a world at war, and conquered the world. Unless the conditions are truly unfavorable, none of the masters should truly be a threat."

Saber nodded. "Of course. Masters, ordinary humans, should not be able to fight servants head on." She stated flatly. "And if I may say, you are not an ordinary human, by any definition of the word."

"That's correct. We will win the war, Saber. That is our pact. Our promise to one another. I am just saying, and reminding you... Do not underestimate the opponent. Never, ever underestimate the enemy. Remember when you sparred with me, Saber?"

The servant grunted in her discontent. "You are the clear exception to the norm, Master, besides, even if you were able to keep up with me, at best, you merely tied. Regardless..."

"The servants... They'll be the biggest issue here." He steepled his fingers. "I do not know what catalyst El-Melloi and Velvet have. I know that after Zelretch 'appropriated' Avalon, the Einzberns have obtained a shard of... Wood? Yes, wood, as an artifact. The Matou, I have no idea, and... Tohsaka was recorded as buying a fossilized snake-skin."

Saber ground her teeth. "So, we have absolutely no idea what servants most of the masters have."

"At least we know the identities of the masters." Naruto muttered. "My spies are only human...still fallible. No one is perfect. Didn't I tell you that already?"

"Mmm." She sighed. "Well then... Are we to retire?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling sleepy." He sighed. "I'll get on unsealing all of our stuff, and we'll scout around the city tomorrow." He got up. "'Night Saber."

"Good night, Naruto."

* * *

_Naruto dreamed. He dreamed of a hill of swords, of screaming and death, of knights and blood, of swords flashing through the battlefield._

_And he dreamed of a king on that hill of swords. That king was fighting her child, her son. The king was struggling, for her sheath had been stolen. The other red knight, a terrible figure, was screaming in abject fury._

_The red knight wanted to know why he wasn't allowed to be the heir, why he wasn't worthy, why he couldn't be king._

_The King of Knights remained stoic, and spoke._

_"I did not despise you. I did not give you the throne for one reason. You lacked the capacity of a king."_

_And red clashed with blue, until the blue figure impaled the red one on her spear. The bloody knight's helmet clattered to the ground, revealing a face that was identical to that of the king's._

_"Fa...ther..."_

_The red knight tried to touch the perfect king with his hands at least once, but that wish was not to be granted. He expired rapidly and fell to the dirt, though not before one final cruelty was dealt to that King of Knights. A sword rose. A sword fell. And a king was cut down, fatally wounded by the unwilling hand of the unknown son._

_It was this scene that Naruto dreamt of. The death of King Arthur and her dream._

* * *

Two days later:

"Master-"

"I felt it." Naruto sighed, and stared at his hand, the one on which that stylized sword was etched. "It is done then. The last of the heroic spirits have been summoned."

He had felt it, and Saber had felt it too. Yesterday, multiple servants had been summoned. Today, one more.

"So it really begins. The war has started."

"Mmm..." Naruto murmured. "It has."

"Shall we be going out again, Naruto?"

"We shall."

"Very well then." Saber gave a bleary yawn from where she was sitting and stretched like some lazy feline, causing Naruto to snicker a little at how utterly adorable his servant was in the morning. "Naruto, I require sustenance..."

"Coming right up."

And so, Saber prepared herself to engage in that battle that was breakfast. A typical day in their lives, as they had grown accustomed to this daily routine.

She sighed. "And now it seems as if those halcyon days are over. At least I have not been resting on my laurels this entire time."

The blond servant felt regret, sadness that this brief respite of relative peace was gone now, but at the same time, relief, and excitement at the possibility of a battle. Relief that at long last, the wait was over, and the war could finally begin.

And then immediately, shame that she would think such a thing, for while she was loathe to admit it, the last few weeks had been some of the more happier in her life. However, her very nature as the servant Saber, as the King of Knights Arturia, meant that she would choose duty over personal comfort. For her pride and honor demanded no less, for her upbringing demanded no less.

Right now though... She would enjoy these last few moments, this brief respite before the war.

"I wonder... What will Naruto cook for breakfast..."

* * *

The servant and master pair had just finished checking out the Matou residence, only to find that there was no servant and no master at said household.

"Tch... What a waste of time." Naruto scowled. "Where could Kariya Matou be, anyway? I haven't seen or heard of him since he summoned his servant."

Naruto was dressed in one of his all black suits, tailor made for combat according to his very demanding specifications. He had several sealing scrolls tucked away in little compartments on said suit, and was currently fuming silently at having spent three hours just getting to the Matou residence, only to have that effort spent in vain.

Saber sighed. She was also dressed in a black suit, fitted to her form almost perfectly. As to how Naruto obtained her measurements... Shinobi are good at determining the lengths and widths of things by eyesight. Let's just go with that.

Moving on?

"How annoying..." Naruto murmured. "Well then... We might as well check out the Einzbern castle before calling it a day. Kayneth's hideout was so ridiculously easy to find that it is quite laughable, and I don't feel like traipsing to Waver's place of residence."

Naruto blinked when he saw a white-haired woman walk by. Absently, he noted that she possessed crimson eyes and pale skin, and was wearing a white coat. He couldn't get a look at the woman's features though. "Saber. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that that is an Einzbern homunculus."

"That is a homunculus. But I thought that..."

"Emiya Kiritsugu is the Einzbern master, so why..." Naruto narrowed his eyes at the white-haired woman, who was walking away. "There is something about her presence, something... Some presence that signifies 'not human', that is ominous and foreboding..." He shook it off. "She cannot be a master though..." He sighed when he felt... _Someone..._ watching him. "Saber. We are currently being observed, aren't we."

"Yes. Two of them, on the roofs. Should I eliminate them?"

Naruto shook his head. "No need for that. They don't seem to have any hostile intentions. However... I believe that we should head over to the Tohsaka residence now. We have already scouted the Einzbern's castle yesterday, so another trip there would be redundant. If we continue, we would attract a little more attention than I am comfortable gathering as well."

"You do realize, that it will be dark by the time we arrive?"

Naruto gave his servant an odd look. "Do you care what time of day it is?"

"Will scouting the Tohsaka residence impede on dinner?"

"No. It should be fairly quick."

"Then I don't care."

Naruto groaned in utter annoyance, with some humor laced within the annoyance and palmed his face with a hand. "You are a glutton, Saber."

* * *

A loud explosion filled the air as a white-masked assassin was impaled by a spear and a sword.

Saber blanched. "That's Archer?"

Naruto merely whistled in appreciation. "Damn, that was impressive." The pair were currently sitting in the branches of a tree and observing the Tohsaka mansion. Apparently, Assassin's master had tried to infiltrate the mansion, probably to kill the master of Archer, Tokiomi Tohsaka. The idiot had 'stealthily' moved to the jewel maintaining the defenses, when the other servant had made his appearance.

Archer was a tall and dignified young man with golden hair standing up like a blazing flame. He was handsome, with an elegant face. His eyes, crimson like blood, were visibly not those of a human and they gave off a mysterious radiance that could make people wither. He had a "perfect, Golden-proportioned body" described as emanating majesty. To compound and top this image, the servant was wearing gold armor, a full suit of it, that was making a very heavy first impression on our protagonists.

"Those were... Noble Phantasms." Saber muttered, clearly perturbed by the Archer's easy disposal of Assassin. "Is that really an Archer class?"

Naruto sighed. "It seems as if Tokiomi has summoned a very powerful servant indeed, if he possesses numerous Noble Phantasms. Let me see if I can get a good look at his stats..." He trailed off. "Oh my. Golden Rule rank A, Divinity rank B, Charisma A+!... And independent action rank A." Naruto sighed once more. "My, my... This guy is a monster, isn't he."

"Multiple Noble Phantasms, of moderate quality too." The blond magus noted, narrowing his eyes at the Archer. "Clearly a high-ranked servant, if he has that many."

It was then that the golden servant decided to make his discontent known.

"Oi, mongrels in the tree! Show yourselves, lest you suffer the king's wrath!"

Naruto glanced glumly at Saber, before the pair clambered down from said tree. After all, neither wanted to be skewered by so many floating swords.

"Now, explain yourselves? What gave you the right to stare at the rightful king?"

Naruto placed a restraining hand onto his servant's shoulder, lest she condemn them both to Archer's wrath, and mentally prepared himself to think of a way to get out of their current annoying situation.

First things first: this Archer seemed to be a very egotistical and arrogant person. Which meant buttering up. He had referred to himself as a king numerous times, so...

"My apologies, King of Heroes." The blue-eyed blond replied smoothly. "My companion and I were merely curious as to what could cause such a cacophony. Forgive our intrusion."

The golden armored man raised an elegant eyebrow. "So, you recognize a true king at first glance. That redeems you to some degree, I suppose."

_Holy shit, that actually worked._

"However, it does not explain your intrusion, and your cowardice puts you below my feet. Explain quickly, lest you find yourself with no limbs."

Naruto tightened the hand that was on his servant's shoulder.

"Many apologies, King of Heroes. As I have stated before, we were merely curious as to what the cause of all of that noise was. Once we discovered it, we distanced ourselves from your battlefield so as not to impede on your slaughter of the mongrels. Forgive this man's cowardice, majestic king." He sunk into a low bow, and a quick glance at Saber caused her to reluctantly bow as well.

The suited blond was rather miffed at the idea of bowing to such an arrogant individual, but he was also quite fond of staying alive, and he really did not want to get into a fight at the moment. It was, as Shikamaru would have put it, too troublesome.

Silence, until the golden Archer laughed.

"You are quite skilled in wordplay, mongrel. How amusing. Very well then, I shall let you and your companion live, if simply for the fact that you have entertained me. You had better be on your way though. The patience and forgiveness of the king is not limited."

"Many thanks, King of Heroes."

And with a flash of yellow light, the pair vanished, leaving behind a bemused Archer.

"How entertaining. Perhaps, there will be some form of amusement in this charade."

* * *

A flash of gold, and two figures appeared within the household that Naruto had purchased.

Naruto exhaled. "That was... Close. We're quite lucky to be unscathed." He glanced at his companion. "Sorry about that, Saber. But we had to get away somehow..."

Saber, who had been getting ready to launch into a massive tirade, immediately stopped. Her eyes softened when she saw her master's sincere, apologetic expression, and she sighed in exhaustion and slumped into a nearby chair. "You are forgiven, Naruto." Quite honestly, she was just too hungry and tired to argue at the moment.

"My thanks to you too."

"However, you must make me dinner. Immediately."

The blond paled, before quickly recovering. "Damn. Well, I guess it is to be expected."

"Indeed. It is."

End chapter

**A/N: Felt like this was a good place to end. I think I found my ideal chapter length: 5000-6000 words.**

**This is off topic, but does anyone know a good beta? I'm just plain tired of revising and revising and revising, so if anyone knows a good beta-reader, I'm all for it.**

**So, read the story. Review. Hit that button on the bottom of the screen. And once again, constructive criticism is very much appreciated.**

**I'm glad I rewrote this story. Personally, I feel as if it is going along much better, without the monologues and all, but that's just me. If you feel that there is way too much angst or ranting in this story, if things are moving too fast, or any other concerns, please tell me, so I can avoid writing another fiasco like the previous version.**

**There is a poll up on my profile for determining Kiritsugu's servant by the way. I've already decided who it's going to be, but I'd like to get a public opinion first before following through.**

**Rein Hellfire: Going to go take a nap now. I'm tired.**


	3. The First Night (Part One)

**A/N:**

**Lots of good feedback. Apparently I'm doing something right.**

**Poll's finished and I've chosen the servant. Kind of worried that I'm doing a poor job of interpreting personalities correctly though. However, events are different and as such, characters will be inherently different, so expect some out of character outbursts.**

**Some more matters, all important. Firstly, Saber's reaction to Naruto's plotting. Essentially, she knows that Naruto has a habit of planning pre-fabricated strategies based on uncertain conditions, which she tends to loathe, and Naruto's methods in combat can hardly be construed as chivalrous in some cases, though it isn't nearly as bad as Kiritsugu is now, seeing as somewhere along the line he developed 'morals'. Therefore she has a sort of distaste for his type of planning, although it isn't to the point where she absolutely hates our protagonist.**

**Naruto doesn't really have good intel on Kiritsugu, so he doesn't know about his entire philosophy: merely that the Magus Killer acts like a typical mercenary. So, he judges him accordingly.**

**Finally, why he didn't Hiraishin away when Gilgamesh noticed him? Er... He knows that Gilgamesh is a powerful foe, and he doesn't know his full capabilities. So mostly, he stuck around to obtain that tiny bit of information that could be gained by talking to the stuck up king, trying to gauge his personality. It's a weak excuse, but it's the best I've got. Truth be told, even I don't know why he didn't just do that. Because he was too stunned by that amount of Noble Phantasms and so he simply forgot? Interpret it how you will, I guess. He could have simply been trolling Gilgamesh by acting polite, and then completely reversing that in a confrontation.**

**Yeah, it's weak, but I've got nothing else. Sorry.**

**And yes, I do know that Mordred is a girl, though don't say that to her face. She'll kill you. I'm pretty sure that Mordred doesn't think of herself as a woman, having been raised to act as a male. Hence why I used masculine pronouns to describe her. I'll probably go back and revise that.**

**Putting up disclaimer now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. Do I look like Kishimoto or Nasu to you?**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

_Chapter Two: The first night (Part One)_

_It was a bloody battlefield. Ghouls, demons, creatures that belonged to the pits of purgatory, the dark abyss..._

_Saber plunged her sword into another undead and shook her head._

_"This is what my master does?"_

_There was no glory in this combat. There was no honor in killing things that were no better than animals. On this battlefield, it was kill or be killed. Slay or be slain._

_She turned her head to avoid another ghoul, and brought her invisible blade across its neck. The headless body collapsed, like a stringless puppet. However... More followed. Hundreds of the abominations, shadowed by a burning village._

_As Saber prepared herself to lunge forward, she noticed a flash of light by the corner of her eye. A short knife flew past her and tore into the skull of an undead that had gone unnoticed._

_"You missed one, Saber."_

_That was her master. The blond had an uncharacteristic serious look upon his face, and was dressed in his typical suit, except his was stained red at the sleeves. He was holding two more knives in his right hand, arm still outstretched from when he threw them._

_"My apologies master."_

_"Mah, don't worry. There's no time for that sort of thing. Right now... We have a job to do."_

_"Understood. Leave it to me."_

_She heard the blue-eyed blond sigh. "You know, you're not alone, right? Not anymore, at any rate."_

_"I can fight alone, master. Your safety is paramount."_

_"Two opponents are harder to face than one, you do realize that, right?" He sighed once more. "Well, looks like... I might have to prove that teamwork trumps any ridiculous notion that you have of fighting all by yourself." He pulled out a scroll. "Here they come. Saber!"_

_"Just don't get killed."_

_Naruto's lips thinned. "Believe me... It is they who will have to fear!"_

_And with a wordless battle-cry, master and servant launched themselves towards the horde of revived dead._

_Saber would look back on that night, and she would remember it as the first time she stood back to back with her master in combat._

_It would not be the last time, either._

* * *

Another patrol, another one. And Saber could certainly say that she was a little annoyed by this constant walking.

"Naruto, I must ask. What are we doing right now? To say exactly... What are we doing?"

"Ah, didn't you know? One of my shadow clones saw a master heading to the docks. And just now, I saw that Kayneth guy heading in that same direction."

Saber shuddered. Shadow clones. She had heard the blond casually mention being able to create clones from nothing but od and mana, but to see it actually being utilized... Was quite scary. Such a thing really shouldn't be possible in today's magical world. A normal magus couldn't replicate half of the things that Naruto could accomplish.

Then again, he wasn't normal by any definition of the word. For starters, normal Magi didn't get to have the ability to utilize clones to stream information directly into one's brain. And normal Magi didn't get to have a conceptual weapon that could heal one's aneurisms from the inevitable meltdown that occurs when too much information is downloaded into a brain that could only process so much, or a lingering regeneration factor that could do the same thing, albeit much more slowly.

Of course, having your brain literally begin melting down from information overload was never a pleasant thing to happen.

More on that later though.

And so, we find our protagonists meandering towards the docks of Fuyuki city, only to pause when they heard the ringing of metal against metal.

"A battle then?" Naruto mused. "Very close too. Saber, do you think we should engage then, or observe?"

The smaller sword-wielding blond paused. While she was fired up and ready to battle...

"No... We will most likely be interrupting a duel between servants, and I would not be the one to impede in an honorable duel. For now then, let us merely observe."

"I agree, if only because we will be able to gather more information this way." Naruto shrugged. "We need a vantage point then..." Naruto trailed off. "Ah, what is this then?"

For, on a nearby bridge (Fuyuki bridge), the most ideal point to observe the battle on the docks, was a large man and a smaller one, with a chariot being pulled by two bulls, oddly enough.

The larger man was dressed in a red cloak and bronze armor with greaves and fringes that left his arms and thighs open. However, this armor and this cape, both were decorated in a manner that was befitting of some royalty, or a nobleman. He was tall, easily towering over two meters in height, with red hair and beard and a tanned complexion. It could be noted that he was extremely well muscled as well, giving the impression of being able to kill wild animals with his bare hands.

The other man, not much more than a boy, was pretty much the exact opposite. Greenish black hair that reached his shoulders, with greenish black eyes and a slight frame, dressed in formal clothes fitting for a magus. He basically looked like a small child compared to Naruto or his companion.

It was painfully obvious that this was no ordinary pair.

"Oh ho... Master and servant, eh?" Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Naruto, should we eliminate them?"

"Mmm... They don't seem to be hostile. Leave them be for now." He paused when he noticed the larger man look over to his location and begin waving cheerfully. "Well, that's a clear invitation if I ever saw one." He turned to his servant. "Shall we?"

"It would be rude for us not to accept this heartfelt invitation. Unless you believe the bridge to be booby-trapped."

The spiky-haired blond shook his head. "Doubt it. The general impression I'm getting off of those guys... They're not the type to do anything like that."

Both suited blonds walked calmly towards the still grinning mammoth of a man, and his trembling companion.

"Ah! Greetings there!" He stated boldly. "Here to watch the fight then?"

"Indeed." Naruto replied calmly. "Only to observe, nothing more..." He trailed off. "Are you Rider then?"

Everybody on the bridge stopped and stared at Naruto, who dead-panned. "He has a chariot. A chariot, of all things. What else could he be? Caster?"

More silence, until Saber cracked a grin and Rider laughed uproariously.

"As expected of my master's deductive skills." The smaller green-eyed woman stated smugly. "Truly, a force to be reckoned with."

"AHAHAHAH!" Rider laughed. "I think I like you, boy! Quite perceptive, aren't you?"

"I try." Was Naruto's nonchalant reply. "Shall we introduce ourselves to each other then? Or is there no need for such matters?"

"I am the servant summoned under the class of Rider in this Holy Grail War! Alexander, the King of Conquerors!"

The more petite boy blanched. "Oi, dumb-ass, don't go telling them that!" He yelled, as he waved his arms about comically, clearly appalled by his servant's lack of subtly.

The only thing that he received for his efforts was a flick to the forehead, which sent him sprawling across the bridge.

"Men like you... How fortunate! I can sense great strength in both of you! Care to join my army as my underlings?"

Saber twitched. "No. I must decline. Swearing myself to you would be subverting my honor. I have my pride as a King to consider.

Naruto paused for a moment. "I would... Have to reject that proposal. My apologies, Alexander. But, I have to take into consideration my servant's desires as well as my own." He actually looked sheepish, slightly. "Furthermore, I do not think that I would do well under the rule of another."

Alexander sighed. "Such a shame, such a shame."

"I would not object to the idea of being allies in this war though."

"That's the thing though, isn't it. There can be only one victor. Only one king can conquer the world, not two..." The muscular servant sighed once more, dejectedly. "How sad."

"If that is to be, then so be it." Naruto murmured. "It really is a pity. You are clearly a heroic spirit that has almost no compare... Well, actually. My servant would probably be more than a match for you."

Alexander snorted. "That little girl?"

Saber was about to retort, when Naruto cut her off.

"You would do well not to underestimate that little girl. She is a noble and great leader of men, whose legend is sung throughout the world. She has faced the dark forces, the evils, and she is the champion of an eternal dream. She is... The most excellent of those servant classes, Saber." He paused. "And by the way, my name is Naruto Uzumaki. Since you have had the courtesy to introduce yourself, I shall do the same."

Waver blanched when he looked at Saber. "Se... Seriously! Those stats are..."

Saber raised an eyebrow. "Naruto, you praise me too much."

"I aim to please."

"So, a challenge then. How exciting! And what of you, boy? You are clearly no ordinary human if the way you hold yourself is any indication."

"Me? I am simply an old soldier, chasing a stupid wish." He waved off Iskander's question with a short laugh and that self-deprecating statement.

"I see... Well then. You are here to observe, are you not?"

"Indeed. Let us see then, just what kind of opponents the Holy Grail has to offer."

* * *

The two figures had just finished another clash, metal grinding against metal, armor against lance, sword against lance, and had just separated. And for the first time, Saber and Naruto were able to observe the combatants.

One was obviously a lancer while the other was a swordsman.

The one wielding lances, yes, there were two of them, was quite handsome, with features that were capable of enchanting any woman, and quite possibly a few men. He was dressed in a dark teal outfit, and his duel spears were wrapped in cloth, one crimson red and one a golden yellow.

Naruto sniffed the air curiously. "What is that smell?"

"Mystic face then. That compelling face that attracts people... That is not natural." Saber murmured. "If it were not for my high magic resistance, I would most likely succumb as well."

"Mmm... Interesting, interesting. He is alone though. Where is his master?"

Iskander grunted. "Most likely, hiding, like a rat."

"My, my... That's too bad."

It was when Naruto turned his attentions to the other figure that he paled and almost fell backwards in shock. He turned to note that Saber had actually taken a step back in utter surprise.

"Is that...?" Saber whispered out, looking more surprised than anything.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "That's ..."

The other figure was dressed in thick armor that covered its entire frame, silver and ornate, with red cloth mixed with said silver armor. It was holding a silver blade, again, ornately decorated, the blade of a knight. However...

"That's blood I'm smelling. Iron from blood." He narrowed his eyes. "And that armor. Saber, I have seen this figure before, in the dream sequence, that's..."

"Yes. It's that person, no doubt." Saber sighed and placed a hand over her eyes. "Such misfortune."

"Boy. Who is that servant?"

Saber answered Iskander. "That is Mordred. Son of King Arthur... And my killer."

Alexander wasn't a stupid man. Brash, yes. Confident with that arrogance that could only belong to a King, yes. But he wasn't stupid enough not to make the obvious connection.

"I see. To think that the King of Knights would be a little girl..."

"You would do well not to underestimate me! Understand that just because I am a woman, it does not mean I won't spill your blood on my blade, Rider!"

The large servant sighed and cleaned his ear with his finger. "You should act more like your master, you know. He seems like a pretty respectable guy..."

"It's begun." Naruto interrupted the servants' squabbling, causing them to fall silent. "Lancer's going to unleash it."

"You mean-"

"Mmm. He's getting ready to unveil his Noble Phantasm."

* * *

"I must commend you." The teal knight muttered carefully. "To be able to parry all of my attacks like you have been doing shows that you possess great skill."

"Enough, fool. Keep talking then, so that I may cut you down with my blade." Avenger sneered, condescension and malice clearly present in its voice.

Another voice blared out, loud and commanding, seemingly from nowhere. "Lancer, that is enough. You have had your fun, now end this battle quickly. You may use your Noble Phantasm."

The servant of the Lance nodded. "Understood, my lord!" The wrappings around his golden spear and red spear vanished. "I shall be going for the kill now. Will you not tell me your class name, at the very least?"

The other red knight, the helmeted one, laughed, a shrill and grating noise that was more akin to someone dying. "Very well then, I shall honor that request. My class is... Avenger."

This caused everyone in the surrounding area to flinch slightly.

"Avenger...?" Lancer murmured softly. "Who could have known? I had thought you a Saber, or possibly a Rider, but Avenger?"

"Lancer, finish it off!" The voice commanded.

"Of course, my lord. I shall be going for the throat now, Avenger." He tilted his head to the side. "That helmet conceals your identity, does it not? Meaning that if I were to catch a glimpse of your face... I would be able to discern your identity."

Avenger snorted. "I sincerely doubt it, but you are welcome to try, regardless."

The teal knight sighed, and began walking away from his other spear. "Very well then..." He struck out with his red spear, but found it blocked by Avenger's sword. "Tch... Very well then... You only have one sword, Avenger!" He then proceeded to impale Avenger with his other golden spear. Tried to, would be better terminology. At the last possible second, Avenger moved to the side, causing a horrendous screeching of metal on metal to emit from where the golden spear scraped along its armored flank.

"Good reflexes." Lancer noted, with grudging approval. "That armor... Tricky, tricky..."

"Stay still, and let me kill you!" Avenger growled, both hands on its sword.

"Is that part of your Noble Phantasm, then..." He switched hands and struck again, only to be parried by Avenger. "Tch..."

Back and forth, forwards and backwards, the two knights fought, gaining advantages and quickly losing them shortly thereafter. Lancer had the advantage in that he possessed two weapons instead of a singular one, and he was noticeably quicker than Avenger. Avenger however, was just a little slower, and had the advantage in brute strength and its armor that continued deflecting glancing blows from both lances. Eventually, it happened. Avenger tried blocking a stab to the chest from the golden spear with its right arm, only to mistime the stab and end up with a spear through said limb.

"Hngh!"

"Avenger!" Irisviel cried out. She had been standing nearby and observing the battle for quite some time now.

"Woman. Heal me."

"I'm trying... I have! Your wound should be healed! It is healed!"

* * *

Naruto sighed. "It's begun."

Waver looked at this strange master oddly. "What has?"

"Lancer's final attack." Saber nodded. "He is incredibly skilled. With that wound that Avenger has suffered, the battle will be over shortly."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Iskander, the big servant, grunted in disapproval and slammed his foot against the ground, causing his master to 'eep' and bow his head.

"No… for all it's worth, Avenger being defeated on the first night probably isn't the best since all the other servants haven't been revealed yet. Both Alexander and I hoped to see more of them come out." Rider nodded at Naruto's words agreeing with him.

"Correct and if Avenger falls… it'll be too late" Waver raised his head.

"T-Too late?" he questioned his servant's choice of words. "The plan was to attack once they'd knocked each other out." Alexander stated, explaining his strategy for their attack on the servants.

Saber blinked. "Is that not cowardly, then?"

"Do not judge me, King of Knights. I had hoped that more servants would have answered Lancer's challenge, seeing as it would be easier to fight them together rather than in a one on one confrontation."

This caused Saber to gain a quite annoyed expression on her face.

"Some of us happen to specialize in one on one confrontations, Rider."

"I mean no disrespect, but unlike those who simply watch and wait for the best time to strike from the shadows, Avenger and Lancer are both valiant warriors whom I would dearly love to duel. Even you two given the chance if my presumptions are right. None of you should die before I have a chance to battle you."

"But isn't that the point of the battle? The Grail's war is to kill one another!" Waver's shouting was met by his servant flicking his head and sending him spinning.

"It's clear that Alexander requires a proper battle to decide this war. Like his history, he wants to conquer this war with no questions over his ability afterwards." Naruto observed.

"Yes. What I truly seek is to have truly conquered this war with all my strength." He drew out his sword and swiped at the sky which opened in a torrent of lightning that, channelled through the metal of the bridge. His great chariot came through the tear in the sky as Waver held onto the bridge for dear life. "We wait no longer. We shall participate, boy!" He paused. "King of Knights, would you and your master wish to ride with us?"

"I have my own methods of arriving, Rider." Saber replied easily. "Though I must thank you for your courtesy."

"Oi, oi..." The youngest in the little group was essentially having a panic attack. "Isn't this dangerous!"

"If you are too afraid, you can always stay behind." Alexander sniffed. "Are you scared then?" Hearing that, Waver made up his mind,"

"I'll go. Take me, damn it!" he shouted as if his life depended on it." The servant's smirk grew hearing Waver as he pulled him onto the chariot.

"Yosh… that is my Master!" He proclaimed as he took off into the sky with speed, leaving behind an annoyed King and a bemused magus.

"What an interesting pair."

Saber sighed. "Maybe... I do not believe that they will last long against my blade and your... _special_ brand of magecraft however."

Naruto considered this statement, before shrugging. "Who knows? We'll just have to see, won't we?"

* * *

Avenger stared at its wound in slight annoyance. "A spear that inflicts wounds that do not heal... Another spear, and a mole under your eye. I suppose I should feel honored then, to be facing you, First of the knights of Fianna, Diarmuid of the Radiant Face."

"It would be better, if you were to give me your name now that you know mine."

The bloody knight laughed again. "You will know my name in time, for now that I know this, I will be able to cut you down with impunity."

"You say this when you have lost the use of one arm."

Avenger radiated an air of smugness and promised violence and retribution, even if its face were not visible. "I have suffered worse, it is of no consequence."

However, before they could re-engage, a clap of thunder sounded across the landscape, and a large chariot dropped between them with a rather tall muscular man at the helm.

Irisviel was dumbstruck. "A chariot...?"

The chariot was surrounded by lightning, drawn by two bulls, and at its helm was a muscular man. It was positioned between Lancer's... Lances... And Avenger's sword.

"Both of you! Lay down your arms, for a true king comes!"

The servant surveyed Lancer and Avenger, noted their surprise and shock at his arrival, and nodded affirmatively.

"I am Alexander! King of Conquerors! I have received the designation of Rider in this Holy Grail War!"

That was when everyone really became gob-smacked. In the war of the Holy Grail no Servant would want to declare his identity as it could be a key component of any and all battle plans.

* * *

On the bridge, Saber was speechless at this servant's audacity and, in her opinion, foolishness. Naruto stifled a chuckle.

"I like this guy. I don't know why, but I do."

"What a fool... To reveal his name so easily...?" Saber murmured. Yes, she had also revealed her identity, but that was only because Alexander had introduced himself first, and it was only common courtesy to do so, and it was unintentional...

She was really just trying to justify making such a huge blunder.

"Mou, Saber, you can't say that you hate this guy, right?" Naruto whispered.

"... I will not say anything on the matter."

"So cold... And you revealed your identity too."

"That was... That was inadvertent! It was unintentional! A blunder!" The blond servant cried out. "It was a slip of the tongue, and nothing more!"

"Someone is in denial." Naruto teased.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about..." Saber replied with a slight blush on her face, as she turned her nose to the air, acting the very part of the indifferent monarch.

"If you insist... Let's watch the fight then..."

* * *

"What are you doing, you dumbass!" Waver cried out, earning yet another flick to the forehead.

"Seeing your battle... Fate has brought us together to fight for the Grail, but first, there is something I must ask… how about... Yielding the Grail to me and joining my army?" Alexander said with a smile. "I will treat you both as my friends, and we shall share in the joy of world conquest together!"

Lancer blinked, then glared at the burly servant. "You would dare interrupt my battle for something as stupid as that? My loyalty lies with my lord. Not with you, Rider!"

Avenger grunted, seemingly annoyed. "What a clown. I have no interest in your petty dreams of world conquest."

Alexander sighed. "Ah, negotiations have failed once again..."

Irisviel blinked in amazement. "Negotiation? You came in and essentially demanded that they swear loyalty to you!"

"Exactly. It was planning."

A brief pause.

"THAT'S NOT PLANNING!" Lancer, Avenger, Irisviel, and Waver yelled at him.

"Yes it is."

The same voice that ordered Lancer spoke up. "So, you were the one that stole my catalyst, Waver Velvet."

Irisviel widened her eyes. "That is..."

"I'm amazed, Waver Velvet. To think that you would have the audacity to steal my holy relic... And have the boldness to join the Heaven's feel." The concealed voice of Lancer's master spoke.

"Ah... Uh..."

"I actually wanted my poor beloved student to be happy. Waver, someone as mediocre as you only deserves to possess the calm and stable life of commoners. Therefore... It falls to me, as your teacher... To school you privately." The silky, oily voice called out. "I'll have to teach you about the pain and fear that is involved in this most sacred of rituals."

Waver, was terrified. There were no other words around that, he was scared, scared to death of his former teacher, Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi.

Until Rider spoke.

"So... You were the one that was supposed to be my master?" Alexander rumbled. "How distasteful, you could never be my master. Only one who has the bravery to ride out with me onto the battlefield has that right. Not one who would be so cowardly as to skulk in the shadows."

Silence, only the anger of an arrogant noble could be felt in the black, seething with absolute rage at the impudence of Alexander. "You dare! Are all servants this impudent towards their betters?"

The red-clad servant ignored him. "On that note... Oi! All of you that are hiding yourselves! Show yourself immediately! Or are you too cowardly to do so? I, Alexander, the King of Conquerors, would have you show your faces!"

"Rider." Lancer said seriously. "Who on earth are you talking to?"

"You didn't think that your entire battle went unnoticed, didn't you? I know that Saber and her master are watching the battle right now, to say nothing of the other servant observing this gathering!"

And with that statement, golden dust coalesced on top of a lamppost, forming into that Golden King that had caused such an uproar on the first night of the war.

Waver was stunned. "Isn't that..."

"That's the servant that killed Assassin on the first night of the war..." Irisviel finished. Everyone on the docks stared at the golden armored figure, who was the epitome of 'King'.

This could not be a Caster. So, by process of elimination, seeing as Saber was not the one being referred to by Alexander, and he was clearly not under Mad Enhancement...

"Archer?" Waver murmured softly. The last of those three knight classes... Archer. The servant of the bow.

The golden servant sneered. "I did not expect a fool to appear before me and call themselves king, when there is clearly only one king: me."

"If you're truly a king then why not name yourself? No true king should be troubled by giving his name." Alexander asked of the man standing atop the post.

"So you would question me, pretender?" the light beneath his feet went out as he broke it by stomping his foot. "Me, the king? At least there was a mongrel that was able to discover my true name on first glance, it was the only reason I gave him a chance to live. For the rest of you, if even in the presence of my glory you cannot discern my identity, your blindness will seal your doom!" From behind him a golden glow appeared and two weapons appears out of it.

"Are those..."

"Noble Phantasms..." Waver said, clearly shocked. "Those are Noble Phantasms!"

"Foolish mongrels. Now then, prepare to face the wrath of a king!"

However, he was cut off by a swirl of darkness appearing, a mar in the landscape. A swirl of pure darkness had appeared, a black flame that burned furiously before dissipating, revealing... A black figure, in what could be a knight, but could also not be a knight, shrouded in black, cloaked in darkness. Truly, skulking in the shadows.

Avenger turned its helmed head in the black knight's direction. "Hoh? Is that Berserker then?"

Lancer laughed nervously. "Oi, Rider? Do you plan on inviting him?"

Rider grunted. "He doesn't seem the thinking type... Boy, how strong is he?"

Waver looked at the black knight and recoiled slightly. "I... I can't tell! It's as if..."

"As if his stats were being obscured by some black cloud. He is obviously strong though..." All eyes went to the black figure, who was clearly unnerving most of those present.

However... That shock would not last long. A tri-pronged knife hissed through the air and landed in the ground with a small 'thunking' noise.

"Hmm? They're arriving then?"

A flash of golden light lit the battlefield, forcing Lancer and Waver to avert their eyes. When the glowing had passed, two figures had appeared, both clad in black suits, both blond, and both radiating an aura that could only be described as deadly.

Once again silence until...

The taller one, with spiky hair and blue eyes... Broke into a grin.

"Yo! Sorry we're late! I got lost on the road of life, and Saber had to drag me back!"

Absolute silence. Everybody was staring at the whiskered blond in sheer amazement. Was he suicidal, or something?

Waver, Lancer and Kayneth were appalled. Irisviel was surprised. Alexander was stroking his beard while grinning, Avenger was suitably surprised, both by the spiky blond and his companion, and Archer?

One could see a vein pulsing in his head. He was clearly, clearly annoyed. Well, pretty much anything could set off Gilgamesh's temper, hell, even looking at him warrants punishment.

Yeah, Archer? He was pissed.

Saber sighed. "Master, you're making a scene... Again..."

Avenger turned to Saber, just now noticing her. "Is that..."

"Mou, Saber, we're here, aren't we?"

"Yes, but you're embarrassing yourself with your antics. That 'sorry, I'm late' gag is not particularly amusing."

Naruto blinked. "Yes. It actually is. Even you have to admit it."

Saber paused, and took that into consideration, causing a semi-pleased expression to form on her face, before that morphed back into her impassive one. "It is rather humorous for those that are not on the opposing end, but that is not the point."

The blue-eyed blond sighed at that. "Spoilsport. Ah, where are our manners? As you know, beside me is servant Saber. As for myself... My name is Naruto Uzumaki, former Shinobi-turned-magus, apprentice to the greatest troll ever, Kishur Zelretch Schweinorg, and magician in training."

Now this drew surprised reactions out of the magi that were present. All of them had heard that Kaleidoscope had taken an apprentice (amazingly enough), but... This man was a magician?

"What the hell! You're a practitioner of the Second Magic?" Waver shouted accusingly, pointing a trembling finger at the suited blond.

"Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"Fuck yes, there's a problem!"

"Is there a point behind that statement?" Lancer asked, clearly bored out of his mind.

"Maybe-" A sword flashed through the air towards our protagonists and promptly exploded.

"Fool. You dare keep a king waiting!? Such impudence... Even if you were able to recognize me on sight, there is no forgiveness for this act of disrespect!" The Golden King stated, still enraged by his fellow blond's antics. "Mongrels like you should just return to the dirt from whence you came!" Of course, his rage had another target. "And you, you mad dog. What do you think you're looking at?" A spear and a sword appeared from a golden ripple in the air, glorious and fine in manufacture and design. "Return to the earth!" The spear and sword were fired, and another explosion that sent up a large plume of smoke.

"Oi, oi..." Archer stiffened when he heard that annoying voice emanate from an alleyway. "That's a bit rude, don't you think? Quite dangerous too..."

"What the hell!" Waver said, more shocked than terrified. "How the hell did he get all the way over there?"

Naruto blinked, then smirked and put a finger to his lips.

"That's a secret."

Cue face-fault.

Meanwhile, Mr. Goldie-pants was still raging.

"You dare mock me... You would dare defy the justice of the king?!"

Saber decided to speak her mind. "I do not see a king standing before me, merely a petulant brat. If you are a King then come down and fight like a King should!"

Naruto face-palmed. "Saber, you just got him madder."

"And you have not?"

"Touché."

Amazingly enough, Archer either hadn't heard his words, or was just too mad to care.

"Another pretender? What insolence..." More weapons appeared in mid-air, surrounded by those golden ripples, weapons of the highest quality, of the highest make, of the highest manufacture. Weapons fit for a king, and there were so many too.

Spears, swords, axes, knives, daggers, scythes, halberds... If it could be named, then Archer had it. All Noble Phantasms, or on the level of a Noble Phantasm.

However, before he could fire the weapons, Archer paused. "And the mad dog survives, too?"

Yes, Berserker had indeed survived the two weapons that Archer had fired. The black knight was walking out of a plume of smoke, wielding a tainted sword in one hand, spider-webbed with red veins and emitting an ominous cloud of darkness.

"Interesting, to have such skill in such a state..." Rider murmured.

"Yes, did you not see it then? He caught that sword and used it to destroy the spear..." Avenger spoke, startling Waver, who had almost forgotten about the heavily armored servant. "But that is not what interests me..."

"You damn mongrels... I'll just kill you now!" Before the weapons could fire however, Archer came to a complete halt, and looked up, clearly annoyed. "Retreat? You've got some nerve, Tokiomi, to order a king around like a mere peasant..." The weapons all retracted, the ripples closed, the few weapons that remained on the ground dissolved into golden dust. Archer was near apoplectic about his forced retreat, but he could do nothing about it. A command seal had been used, and compliance was forced.

"Tch... Having to run like this... How distasteful." He turned to leave, though not without some parting words. "Mongrels! See that you've culled your numbers by our next meeting, as only a true hero is worthy of looking upon me! And you two... You had better not try the patience of the King a third time..." With a final sneer, that King dissolved into golden particles and vanished.

The sudden quiet was broken by Rider's low rumble. "Boy... No, Naruto. Just who was that character?"

Naruto sighed. "That just confirmed my suspicions. That haughty disposition, the vast treasury of weapons, that golden body... There has only been one hero that has owned all the world's treasures."

Saber looked at her master in utter shock. "You mean...!"

"Yes. That man is Gilgamesh, King of Heroes." The whiskered blond replied. "And he is Tohsaka's servant. Clearly, this war will prove to be quite interesting." He paused. "And what will you all do now?"

Avenger stepped forwards, visibly trembling with anticipation. "We meet again, father."

Waver blanched. "Wait, father? Saber is a woman! Why the hell are you referring to Saber with masculine pronouns?" Waver shouted. "She's clearly a girl!"

"King Arthur is my father. It matters not what gender he is, it is the inexorable truth. Lancer. You wished to know my name, did you not?"

"Avenger! What are you doing!"

"No, this is a matter of pride. For you see, my name is Mordred. That bastard child of the King of Knights, Arthur!" Avenger rumbled angrily.

"Mordred..." Saber murmured softly. She traced an invisible line on her chest, where she was cut down in battle.

"Remembering past wounds, father? I know that I remember mine..." Avenger's hand went to her side.

"..."

"So this is the heroic spirit King Arthur..." Irisviel stated.

"That little girl is seriously King Arthur?" Lancer asked incredulously.

A brief lull in the talking, as various parties contemplated this idea.

Naruto grinned, his feral smile in place. "Well then... Are we to fight, then? Because if that is to be the case... Then we'll just have to give a good showing now, won't we."

A roaring noise caused everyone's attention to turn to Berserker, who had picked up a lamppost and was charging at the servant and master pair. Avenger drew her sword and was slowly advanced in the same direction that Berserker was currently charging.

"My, my..." Naruto sighed. "How rude." He casually took out a scroll. "Saber, if you could?"

His servant instantly materialized her silver armor and invisible weapon, and parried Berserker's blow.

"Not a problem, master." Saber grunted. "Although Berserker is quite strong..."

"Just hold on, I'll be ready shortly." Naruto opened the scroll and scanned through it quickly. "Mmm... We'll use this one today, I suppose."

"Oi, oi! What are you doing! A master can't possibly take on a servant!" Waver yelled.

Saber shook her head at Waver's folly. "Child, if there is one thing you should know about my master... It is this. Never, ever underestimate him. For..."

"It will be the last mistake in your short existence." Naruto finished.

And with that, he placed a hand on a circular seal within the scroll and channeled a small quantity of od into said scroll. A puff of smoke obscured the vision of all those watching, and when it cleared...

Naruto was holding a sword. No, sword is too good a word to describe the implement in his hand. It was a huge hunk of metal, bigger than Naruto was, shaped like a butcher's knife. The blade itself had two cut-outs, one near the top and one near the handle. Yet, despite the massive bulk, the blond magus was holding it with a single hand. This sword was clearly designed to kill the enemy, there was no other purpose. It was a heavy and crude thing, yet elegant in its simplicity.

It looked absolutely terrifying, especially when combined with the blond's bloodthirsty grin.

"Ah, more introductions. Shit-stains, meet Kubikiribōchō. Kubikiribōchō, meet shit-stains. I promise, you'll get acquainted shortly. Now then...!" And with that, the spiky-haired blond grabbed the handle of his giant blade with another hand, and launched himself at Berserker, causing the black servant to leap backwards in order to avoid the massive decapitating blade. "Saber. Which do you want? Big bad and ugly, or smaller, yet uglier?"

Saber twitched. "Avenger looks exactly like me, you do realize..."

"Urk. Never mind then." He blocked another one of Berserker's strikes and glared at the black knight. "You do know that it's rude to interrupt conversations, don't you?" He then proceeded to smash the flat of his blade across Berserker's helmet, sending the mad servant flying.

It was so silent, that you could hear a pin drop. Literally, Kayneth had a pin on him (God knows why), and he dropped it, metal falling from nerveless fingers. Of course, the noise didn't actually register in the minds of those present.

"I'll be back. I've got to go take out the trash. You can handle Mordred, can't you?"

Saber nodded. "Go. I have some... Business to attend to." She glanced at her master, eyes momentarily narrowing in concern. "You will be alright, won't you?"

"You know me, Saber. What do you think?"

"I think... You will be more than fine." She smirked. "Very well then. I'll leave you to it."

And the servant of the sword charged forward in a sudden burst of speed to do combat with the irregular servant that had been summoned, while her master braced himself to receive the mad servant's charge.

And on that night, battle was joined.

**A/N: Yeah, we're ending this now. Mainly because if I continue on, I'll end up taking another five-thousand words. Next chapter is the end of the 'first night' chapters, though it really isn't the first night. I consider it as such though, as it is the first 'official' battle in the war.**

**We are going down the Mordred route, for a couple of reasons. One being, I already had her material written out. Two, and not as importantly, it was popular opinion. More than fifty percent of the votes were in favor of Mordred. Three, it adds that heightened amount of tension, and four... Because I thought it would be fun.**

**Again, the poll didn't really influence my decision. I had already decided on Kiritsugu's servant before I had even put that on my profile. So there.**

**I already know that I'm going to get my ass flamed for making Gil run away. Let me just say this, he ran because Tokiomi ordered him to, and the reason Tokiomi ordered him to was because Gil was basically going to melt the arteries in his brain with how angry and pissed he was, and to prevent him from revealing more of Gate of Babylon. Basically, same as in canon.**

**So, next chapter we should see some actual combat. Joyous days! Blood for the blood god! Skulls for the skull throne!**

**...**

**... Back on topic... I think that I may have found a beta. I'll have to look into the matter further however...**

**And as for updates: As of this chapter, I have burned through all of my pre-written material. Therefore, updates shall be much, much slower. So... don't expect a chapter for a couple of weeks, since what I generally do is write two or three chapters and try to wait until I have a suitable time to post. I'll try to get a stockpile of material written, but no promises. School is a female dog.**

**Anyways. Read, review, criticize. Essentially, tell me what I'm doing wrong and tell me how to do no wrong.**

**Rein Hellfire-retiring for the night.**

**Update 1: Thank you to Serfius for catching that. Edited.**


	4. The First Night (Part Two)

**A/N: And, we're back. Rein Hellfire of the super-fast updates has returned!**

**So, Chapter Three. Fair warning, updates will in fact take longer. Much longer. Like bi-weekly kind of longer. Which in retrospect is still pretty damn fast compared to some of the snail-fics that I've read. The only reason I'm even bothering to post this chapter instead of waiting is because I want to get it off my freaking chest.**

**I've been reading In Flight by gabriel blessing, and I must say... It's a looooong read. But satisfying. And very interesting. I've read Sekirei before, and Sekirei crossovers, but reading In Flight has been quite the interesting experience. It's also given me a very, very nasty plot bunny that just will not go away. It won't go away!**

**So, Chapter Three, which concludes the 'First Night' chapters. I probably wrote OOC, because for one, I don't really have any solid information on Mordred's character. Which means I have no basis for her personality, meaning I had to improv quite a bit. Sorry...**

**I'm a little worried about the quality of chapters, seeing as I wrote most of this in the middle of the night... I think it turned out okay though, for the most part. Probably not as quality as my usual material though, so my apologies in advance... Again, not particularly happy... As I have stated, this is one of those things that I want to get off my plate.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. I'm slightly pissed about this fact, but what can you do? I'll just accept this fact and move on with my wretched existence. Just kidding. Seriously though, don't own the two universes. **

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Three: The First Night (part two)

Metal against metal, steel against steel, flesh against flesh. Two figures fought against two figures, a blue knight versus a red one, and a suited blond versus a twisted knight. The sound of swords striking swords rang out, blades blurring at supernatural speeds.

It wasn't a match of normal men. It was the realm of those that were 'not human', that were above humanity. It was a match of servants, making it all the more surprising that a normal 'human' could actually compete in this match of heroes.

"I must say..." Rider rumbled ponderously. "Those two... Are quite strong."

Waver was slack-jawed. "No shit. How the fuck... What the hell... What the..."

"Indeed. Despite wielding such a huge and ponderous weapon, the male is using said blade quite deftly and with relative ease." Lancer noted. "What is more, is that he is matching Berserker blow for blow, meaning..."

Rider finished Lancer's sentence. "Meaning that Naruto character is strong... To be able to fight the maddened servant head on, is quite the accomplishment, for a normal human. Not to mention... Do you not see their coordination?"

"Coordination?

Lancer whistled. "Yeah. I see it now."

Irisviel tilted her head slightly in confusion. "Coordination...?"

"Their movements. Do you not notice that their battles coincide with one another, that is to say, the combatants cross paths?" Rider said. "And yet, the both of them are mindful of where the other is... Truly, remarkable."

Naruto deflected yet another strike with his massive sword, grunting as he was pushed back by the sheer force of Berserker's blows. "Damn. Going head on won't work, huh... Not even with this blade..." He dropped his blade, rolled under a swing directed at his head, and grabbed the handle of Kubikiribōchō, bringing the large blade down in an overhead swing. That was promptly blocked by Berserker.

"Oh, come on! Aren't you supposed to be insane? Unless..." The blond magus groaned in frustration. "Oh you have got to be shitting me. Is it because you were so skilled in life that you can fight like a professional even while under Mad Enhancement?"

Berserker roared, and pushed Naruto's sword back, trying to crush him with brute strength. Eventually, Naruto's grip slackened, allowing Berserker to make a slight cut on his cheek, the blond barely dodging the blackened lamppost.

"And that ability... How troublesome."

Over in the observer's section, Rider nodded. "Yes, that ability... That black thing seems to be able to make Noble Phantasms out of whatever it picks up..."

Meanwhile, Saber was fighting with Avenger. Fighting being a relative term, all things considered, seeing as Avenger had a large gash on one of her arms.

The red knight grunted as another one of Saber's blows clanged against her blade.

"Why so cruel, Father? It has been such a long time... Such a long time since we have seen each other."

"Enough, Mordred. If you continue speaking, you may very well die in combat." She cocked her head. "You will probably die now regardless."

Avenger sighed. "This wound... How annoying. A spear that deals wounds that can never heal... How irritating... Seeing as it prevents me from killing you... Father."

Another clash of steel, blades dead-locked, green eyes staring at an emotionless helm.

"When last we fought, you told me that I lacked the capacity of a king. Do you still think so, Arthur? Do you still believe that I lack the capacity of a king, as I am able to stand against you whilst handicapped? DO I?" Avenger screamed this last part.

Saber sighed, and closed her eyes in weariness.

"I said before, haven't I? I do not despise you. You simply lacked that capacity of the king." She replied emotionlessly.

This enraged Mordred even further than Saber had thought it possible.

"The king, always about the king! What is the capacity of the King? What is a King? You, who has had his country burned before her eyes, who has failed his own people, you have the gall to judge me? Please die!"

And with that, Mordred continued her enraged assault, blow upon blow striking the invisible blade of the emotionless king.

Naruto was toiling.

"Fuck..." He muttered, as Berserker blocked another one of his blows. "If this keeps up...!"

It was clear... That Berserker was skilled in close range, quite possibly more than even Saber was. And while Naruto was no slouch in close range, he was quite simply, outclassed. He may have been able to keep up with Saber, even beat her if he truly tried, but against a monster like Berserker, who was hitting with insane strength and speed...

It was all he could do to hold his own, and even then he was failing. Taking on Berserker suddenly didn't seem like such a good idea, especially when the main motive was only to test the mad servant's strength. The blond magus suddenly felt as if he had bitten off a little more than he could chew.

Of course, that was when the playing field was even. And Naruto Uzumaki didn't play fair.

He grunted as he rolled under another blow that nearly took his head off. "Time to kick it up a notch." He leaped back, and took out another scroll, placing a hand on another symbol and unsealing... Paper?

In the shadows, Kayneth snorted. "Paper? What can he hope to do with something as useless as that?"

However, all were shocked when the spiky-haired magus made a strange sign with his hands, and... A clone of him formed, minus the giant sword, took the sheets of paper, and promptly vanished.

"What the fuck?" Waver muttered.

Rider raised an eyebrow. "Hoh? That's interesting..."

The blond magus was serious, seeing as if he took the maddened servant lightly, he would most likely die. There was no banter, no words were spoken, he was absolutely serious. And then he _moved_, blurring away at speeds faster than a regular human could see, faster than he had been moving before. Such movement would tear his muscles and strain his bones, but in order to keep up with an opponent of such skill, it was necessary.

Steel rang out against steel, over and over, a cacophony of discordant tone, as Naruto's massive blade stuck Berserker's makeshift weapon. Over and over. Yet even with this added effort, it was clear that Naruto was slowly being worn down, pressed back.

Blades smashing against blades, the blond doing his level best to deflect as many of Berserker's attacks as he could, for standing directly against that kind of strength was suicidal. Strong Naruto may have been, but it was clear that Berserker was not a normal heroic spirit, far from it indeed. So Naruto kept on deflecting strikes, attempting to minimize and dispel the force behind the swings and stabs of the mad servant. And for the most part, he was successful, but he was still being driven back.

Rider noted that the clone had completely disappeared, strangely enough. It reappeared momentarily afterwards, and dispelled itself in a small puff of smoke.

The blond remained stoic, though his lips twitched upwards in a small smile momentarily. And then, he took a step back, to avoid a thrust to the heart. Another, to avoid being dismembered, a giant leap backwards, to avoid being disemboweled.

Naruto had kept up with Berserker longer than most men, and many servants could ever hope to, but he was being pushed back, slowly and inexorably. Berserker was steadily advancing, maddened howls emitting from its darkened helmet, as it continued raining blow after blow on the suited blond. For a moment, it looked like the blond magus was about to succumb.

Naruto's feet slipped slightly, as he stumbled onto some litter that was scattered on the ground. This caused him to grunt as the lamppost lacerated his left arm in his distraction. A mild injury, not life-threatening, but still annoying, and a hint that if he didn't do something to incapacitate or kill Berserker immediately, the battle would quickly turn for the worse.

And then, as he caught one final blow on the blade of his sword, muscles straining to resist Berserker's awesome strength, he _smiled_.

He leapt back, deflecting the lamppost, and he released one hand from the handle of his blade to form a half hand-seal, lifting his index and middle fingers while curling the other digits.

Immediately, the ground below Berserker erupted in gouts of fire, a concussive force blew across the battlefield, and a massive plume of smoke rose from the new ball of fire that had suddenly appeared below the black knight. The explosion happened on the far side of the docks, where no one had been looking, and where there was no property that could be damaged by said explosion.

The blast was deafening. Naruto jammed his blade into the ground and leaned heavily on it, panting from his recent exertions.

"What the...?" Lancer started, in sheer shock. "What did he just do?"

Rider beamed, clearly excited about how the well-dressed magus had turned the tides of battle. "Did you not see? He formed a clone, and had it take paper to some unknown location. We have not been watching that corner of the battlefield... That paper obviously can be detonated with a hand sign. And there was trash on the ground, including... PAPER. He used the clone to set the explosives and lured Berserker into a trap... Clever, oh so clever..."

Lancer scowled. "That is not chivalrous, not at all. I will admit though, it is quite intelligent of him."

Avenger paused as her blade deadlocked with Saber's once more, and stared at the blossoming plume of smoke. "Hmm. It seems that your master is quite competent indeed, if he is able to hold off something like Berserker."

Saber grinned. "Of course. After all, he is the only one in this era that I would trust my back to. He is the most exceptional master among all of the masters."

"Interesting, to think that such a caliber of being exists in this era..." Avenger trailed off. "And to gain the king's favor... When I could not? You... You would give some nameless dog the honor of fighting by your side, when you..." Avenger howled in abject fury. "Again! Again I have been shunned!"

"Retreat, Avenger. You are wounded quite severely, and I outmatch you. It would be unseemly of me to dispose of a wounded opponent like this, even if you are-."

The red knight snarled. "You forget who it was that killed you. ARTHUR!" A crimson aura began flickering around the enraged servant of vengeance, as red as freshly shed blood. The magi present could feel her prana levels flickering, quickly rising, soaring. This could only mean one thing.

Avenger was going to release her Noble Phantasm. The two halves of her helmet split, and lowered themselves into her armor, revealing a face that was identical to Saber's. that is to say, the face of a very pretty young woman.

Rider hummed in contemplation. "So, it is true then. That is Mordred, and the other is Arthur Pendragon, the King of Knights. What good fortune! To fight opponents such as these...

Mordred wore an expression of absolute rage and fury, anger against her 'father', against that person who represented everything she wanted to be in life. She raised her sword with both hands, uncaring for the wound that was on one of them, and began to unleash her final attack, in a desperate attempt to kill her most hated enemy.

However, even this effort was stopped when Lancer moved forward and placed himself between the two lookalikes.

"This goes far enough, Saber, Avenger. I would not have you ruining my chance for a duel with Avenger, Saber. I would that you would stand down, so that I may have a chance to fight the servant of vengeance in a one on one duel."

The bloody knight growled furiously. "Imbecile. Move, lest you wish to join my father in oblivion!"

Saber was understanding of this desire, but shook her head. "This is a personal matter, Lancer. I apologize, but... My own honor demands that I fight Avenger."

"I see-" The entire conversation ground to a halt when they heard an inhuman roar resonate across the harbor and water, and all turned to where Naruto had battled it out with Berserker.

* * *

When the roar was emitted, Naruto knew that he was _fucked. _

He knew that the explosion hadn't killed Berserker, but he had really hoped that the explosive tags would be enough to incapacitate Berserker for at least a few minutes. Apparently that was not to be the case.

"I need better ink." Naruto muttered. He groaned. "Of all the times to leave my high quality supplies at home..."

He could use Hiraishin, but he really didn't want to use it, seeing as he's already used it multiple times that night. Hiraishin was his trump card, his ultimate weapon in a sense, and he had no intentions of letting anyone understand how it works and thereby devising a suitable counter by allowing them to study it. A glimpse or two was akready pushing it. No, he wouldn't use Hiraishin. But... There were other options.

The only problem was actually standing up to Berserker long enough to implement said options.

"Do I have... Yes. Level three tags." He murmured under his breath.

Naruto created his own seals, his own explosive tags. He had classified everything according to his own little system. The tags he used to blow up Berserker were level five, capable of completely blowing apart a normal man. He had used ten of those.

Level three was designed to take out heavily armored targets. Things like tanks or small planes. Enough of them could theoretically demolish an entire city block.

Naruto held six of the papers of doom in his left hand, behind his back.

However, as it turned out, Berserker's target wasn't the blond, rather, he was charging at the other battling duo. To be more specific, Mordred.

"RAGGRH!" He howled, clearly incensed by her presence. Unfortunately, his improvised weapon was neatly cut in half by Lancer's red spear.

"That is enough, Berserker. I will not have you interfering in this honorable duel as well." Lancer spoke, clearly miffed by Berserker's sudden interruption. "Do not continue further, as I will not tolerate your transgressions."

"What are you doing, Lancer? Finish off Avenger, or better yet, Saber!" The voice of Lancer's master wafted through the air, a slight tinge of annoyance present in its quality.

"I will slay Avenger! I, Diarmuid O'Dyna, swear on my honor. But please watch as I take care of this rabid dog first. Please, my lord!"

"By my command seal, I order you..."

"My lord!"

"To assist Avenger and kill Saber." This caused Naruto's eyebrow to raise in surprise, as he would have assumed that Kayneth would go after the wounded servant instead.

"My lord?"

"Saber is clearly the biggest threat here, if her master is capable of fighting Berserker hand to hand, and if she truly is King Arthur. Berserker seems to be going after Avenger, meaning that that servant will not last very long... Kill Saber. Or better yet, kill her master. So I command."

Naruto sighed. "Well, fuck."

Lancer shook his head in frustration and lashed out at Saber with his golden spear, which Saber promptly blocked with her invisible blade. "I apologize, Saber. I would have preferred to fight an opponent such as you in better conditions..."

"I bear no ill feelings towards you, Lancer, merely to your idiotic fop of a master."

"Be as it may be though, I really cannot have you insult my new avowed lord." He lunged forward, only to be launched backwards after blocking a swing from Berserker.. Berserker it seemed, had managed to get ahold of Kubikiribōchō, plucking it out of the ground and swinging it with one hand.

Seeing the black knight wielding a massive sword... It was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

Slashes and cuts came down upon Avenger, who promptly fell back.

"Woman. We're leaving. I cannot hold against Berserker any longer, especially if my father is fighting me as well." She replied calmly.

"Yes, of course!" Irisviel stammered. She turned and left, with Avenger fading away, into red particles. The red knight was entering spirit form.

"I look forward to our next meeting, father. It'll be interesting, pitting myself against your master..." She gave a bloodthirsty grin. "I wonder, will he bleed as well as he fights?"

Saber twitched in anger. "You will not touch my master. You will not look at my master with those eyes, and I will not allow you to come near him!" She all but screamed, displaying more emotion than her entire fight against Avenger.

Avenger merely smirked and faded away.

The other servant breathed heavily, before looking up and realizing that Berserker was still there. He was still wielding Kubikiribōchō. And he was staring directly at her, or appeared to be.

"..." If she were a magus, she would have cursed the Root.

The black knight roared, and charged directly at the small blond, raising that massive blade over his head in order to deliver a killing blow. Saber braced herself for the impact, however... Said impact never came.

Over to the side, Naruto smirked and formed the same hand seal from before. Six pieces of paper, inscribed with various seals and writings, began sizzling on the side of the decapitating blade.

Kubikiribōchō went up in a massive cloud of smoke, fire and a deafening explosion, bigger and louder than the previous one. Berserker was immediately thrown to the ground by its sheer force, and pieces of shrapnel from the broken sword began raining down the ground. Various metallic chunks could be seen burrowed in his armor, which was dented slightly. Naturally, Berserker wasn't happy about that outcome. The damage was completely superficial, but having a sword explode in one's face certainly made a point.

"Did you really think that I'd just leave one of my weapons lying around, especially with the troublesome ability you possess?" Naruto scoffed. "I think not. Oi, Berserker's master. If you can hear me, you probably want to call off your rabid dog."

Berserker gave one final roar of protest, before taking spirit form, leaving a bemused blond magus, an annoyed sword wielding maiden, a dumbfounded Lancer, and an excited Rider. Oh, and a prick and sniveling child. Naruto sighed and picked up the handle of his blade, which had a large chunk of said blade still attached to it. The rest of the sword was in tiny pieces.

"Aw, I have to repair this thing now... I hate doing that." He muttered.

"Do you really think that you can take on two opponents at once, Lancer?" Saber asked quietly. "For if you do, then..."

"Lancer, that is enough... Retreat."

"Yes, my lord." The lance wielding servant turned to leave. "It has been an honor meeting you, young master, King of Knights. I look forward to a duel with you."

"And I would be happy to oblige with that request." Saber replied easily, giving a firm nod of her head. With those final words, Lancer left, leaving four figures on the docks.

"My, my... How interesting." Rider chuckled. "Naruto, you are certainly a man of great strength, aren't you?

"What exactly was your intent when you first arrived, King of Conquerors?" Saber addressed the tall man who held his chin in thought.

"No idea. I don't really think about these things." Rider replied making Naruto chuckle at the side, Rider such an honest man it made him wonder what it would be like living in his kingdom. "Saber. Settle matters with Avenger first. I shall then face the victor, be that you or Avenger. Goodbye for now, King of Knights!" Rider turned and grabbed his reins.

"And goodbye to you Naruto. I hope that our next meeting is as enjoyable as this one was. Hey boy, don't you have anything nice to say?" looking down at Waver he noticed something. Pulling him up by his collar it was clear he had fallen unconscious from the shock of the massive explosion. "Man, I wish he'd man up a little." Naruto grinned and Saber gave a small smile as Rider snapped his reins. "Farewell!" he flew off into the sky as if the sky was the very road.

Naruto and Saber were the only ones left on the former battlefield. The suited blond sighed and promptly collapsed from exhaustion.

"Naruto!" Saber ran to her master and bent over him, green eyes staring concernedly into azure ones. "Are you injured? Tired?"

The spiky blond grinned, although it was very weary. "I'm fine, Saber. Just a little tired..." He got back up, wincing from the slight twinge of pain that jolted through his entire body. "Berserker was frightfully strong. I'm certain that I could have not stood against him for much longer, not without using Hiraishin or some of my more destructive seals." He sighed. "I had to resort to baiting him into a trap, and even then he shrugged off level three like it was nothing."

Saber sighed and shook her head slightly. "At least, you're all right. He didn't inflict any lasting injuries on you, did he?"

Naruto shook his head. "The worst that I got was a cut on my arm, and that's healing up right now." He lifted said arm, to reveal that a rapidly fading laceration could be seen through a tear in his sleeve. "I'm just tired, is all."

Saber stood stock still for a while, bangs shadowing her eyes, before she spoke again.

"You idiot... Pushing yourself to the limit like that..." She murmured, before sighing once more, and running over to support Naruto when it was apparent that he would keel over once more. "You idiot."

The blond muttered an inaudible series of words, before speaking clearly once more. "I'm a terrible man, Saber, to make you worry like this. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for making you worry."

The other blond shook her head in discontent. "Don't apologize. You might be an idiot, but at the very least..."

"I'm... Your... Master... Na..." Naruto muttered.

"Yes. Yes... You are..." The servant and magus began walking away, the tall figure being supported by the shorter one.

"Let's just go home, Saber..."

"Yes, Naruto."

And they left.

* * *

A door opened in the Uzumaki household, the front door, and two figures stimbled through said threshold. The taller figure shut the door, walked over to a nearby futon and immediately collapsed in the futon. The smaller one sighed, and sat by the futon, staring at the taller one's features.

Saber was... Distraught? Seeing her master in such a state, when usually he was strong, hale and hearty... It disturbed her. She could safely say that her master was one of the strongest people that she had ever known, unwavering in his ideals and conviction.

To fight against a servant was no small thing, especially something as powerful as Berserker. And yet... She trusted Naruto to fight Berserker, was confident that he'd be able to defeat him even. She could trust him to stay alive, for... She _knew_ that the spiky haired blond would be able to, after knowing him for over three weeks, after fighting with him, eating with him...

Naruto was the type of person that would never back down, that would continue fighting on, even if his destruction was assured. He would continue fighting on, and he would most likely attempt to rip his opponent's throat out with his own teeth in his dying moments.

"Brave fool..." Saber whispered, a slight smile on her face, as she gazed at Naruto's slumbering expression.

Yet, she couldn't help but admire his resolve, his willingness to fight on. Such a person... She couldn't help but respect him.

"..." The servant knelt next to her master's head, and laid a surprisingly gentle hand on his forehead. "Sleep well, Naruto. You fought bravely today."

The hand lowered as the servant of the sword continued her vigil over Naruto's sleeping form.

* * *

In a separate location, a crystal ball gleamed, displaying images of two knights, one blue and one red.

It was a dank space, dark that surpassed normal black. The faint screaming and moaning of the damned could be heard, eerie noises of those pained souls drifting through the tangible darkness.

The only source of illumination was that crystal ball, about the size of a ball of yarn.

"Awesome, awesome, awesome!" A red haired young man gleefully shouted, clearly excited about recent events. "That was SOOOO COOL! Did you see that guy blow up the other guy! And that massive sword! Sooo cool!"

The other figure was hunched over the crystal ball, visibly trembling.

"Sir?"

"It has come true... My dream has become realized... What I have been striving for... Has been realized! The Holy Maiden!" A gaunt and pallid face was tearing up, tears of elation.

"Er... What?"

"She who was once abandoned by God, annihilated in disgrace. But now, she has been resurrected. It's a miracle! It was because of my faithful wishes... Those allowed her to be reborn!"

Ryūnosuke had no idea what was going on, but he could understand the man whom he admired, Bluebeard's current state of delight. Also, though he and Bluebeard have not been together for very long, Bluebeard can always reveal impressive ideas even at times of great distress. A new challenger to the world, a murderer – the strange man whom Ryūnosuke worshipped was a sadistic artist.

Therefore, to Ryūnosuke, Bluebeard's happiness – whatever may have happened to him must be have been a good thing, and it was certainly worth anticipating.

"For some strange reason, I'm beginning to get excited as well, Sir Bluebeard."

The other's face twisted in an evil sneer. "There is a fake though... A copy, not fit to wear the visage of that Holy Maiden! Such impudence... It must be punished!"

Caster shook his hair loose as he simultaneously wept and cried. He clasped the crystal tightly with both hands as he pressed his forehead against its icy surface, his frenzied eyes staring at the face of the young woman, the noble knight in blue that wielded an invisible blade.

"Oh… maiden, my holy chaste virgin… I will be with you soon. No matter what, please wait for me…"

**A/N:**

**We're ending it here, because my creative juices have just stopped flowing.**

**So in this chapter, we get a little glimpse of Naruto's fighting style. Which is to say, he is good at close range but gets absolutely reamed by someone as skilled as Lancelot. Of course, Naruto doesn't play fair. And, we get to see Caster and Ryūnosuke.**

**Now, why Naruto didn't use Hiraishin: same reasons as above, he wanted to keep the mechanics of the technique a secret so he could bust it out and completely surprise his opponents. Why he didn't use jutsu: because both of his hands were occupied in blocking Berserker's blows. He had no time to form long streams of hand seals, and besides, the way I've interpreted him, he doesn't spam flashy jutsu every single battle like most 'shinobi' do, preferring instead to rely on tactics, seals, and his superior physical condition. Because firing a giant fireball or dropping rocks out of the sky is clearly stealthy.**

**Why Lancer tried to kill Saber instead of Avenger? Because Kayneth is a dumbass. And he's more scared of Naruto than Avenger, as seeing that your enemy is capable of fighting on par with a servant... That is not something that would fill your body with confidence.**

**Really scared that I wrote some characters out of character, but... What can you do? To be honest, I didn't really feel like I could have written this chapter any better. I've already rewritten it multiple times as it is. If I tried again, I'd probably end up making it WORSE. This was actually a chapter that I did not really enjoy writing as much as the previous three...**

**So. Read, review, hit that button on the bottom of the screen and give me information on what the hell I'm doing wrong. Criticism is always appreciated.**

**Rein Hellfire- I'll see you guys... Next time.**


	5. Mystique and Intrigue

**A/N:**

**Fuck. I didn't want to write it, but... I think it's time to take a step back and... Reconsider the path we've been going down. Which is to say... Rewrite.**

**...**

**I'm kidding. Did I scare you?**

**No, we're continuing this story. On with the chapters, the bad humor, the occasional spelling and syntax errors, the plotholes and strangeness! Huzzah!**

**Anyway... The feedback I got in the last chapter was very encouraging. I was actually expecting a shit-ton of flames, to be quite honest, so to see a lot of positive reviews? That's awesome. However, there were some very urgent points that were made and needed to be addressed.**

**Naruto's powers and/or Rinnegan: Those ringed eyes of OPness and awesome? Well... Not going to spoil anything. I have a plan you know. Whether he has them or not, is up to you guys to decide... Kekeke. If he did have them, why didn't he use them in the fight? Because he doesn't want to be like Sasuke or Kakashi, always relying on the bloodlines. Seriously though, almost every single goddamn fight Kakashi pulls out that Sharingan. Every single fight. Over-reliance on inborn traits without trying to improve yourself will cause deaths. Naruto didn't need to use any bloodlines in that battle, all he needed was a big-ass sword and some explosives. _That's it. _No need to use the Rinnegan. Hypothetically, if he had a bloodline, he doesn't want to begin overly relying on his bloodline to get him out of a sticky situation. So, if he DID have the Rinnegan... He's already under scrutiny, he doesn't need more shit on his plate, which using some new type of 'Mystic eye' would have caused, and this way he gets to have another trick up his sleeve.**

**For the whole shebang on Sage Mode... I'm banging my head on my desk for forgetting about that. Kill me now, please. A slight blunder on my part. Whoops... Er... I got nothing, sorry, other than... Same thing as the Rinnegan I guess, with conserving strength. That's the only thing I got, sorry.**

**In fact, let's go to Naruto's skill set while we're talking about all of this. _This is not canon Naruto._ Meaning? His skills, his specialties that he was known for in canon? _They're not going to be the same. This is AU. It says so in the warning. Meaning that Naruto's skills, techniques and overall fighting style are going to be vastly different. So I don't want to hear bitching about this matter, because this is an AU., meaning things can and will be vastly, vastly different. End of story. _It's my damn story, I reserve the right to do whatever I feel like in it. So if some things that Naruto could do well (Sage Mode, etc) in canon AREN'T incorporated in this story... Different skill set, because, once again, not canon Naruto, therefore giving him the canon skill set wouldn't make sense in my opinion.**

**How are there eight servants in the war? Because, the grail (Angra Mainyu) is a complete and utter troll, and decided to say 'Fuck the rules! Eight Servants because I can, dammit!', and proceed to just do as much to troll the participants as possible. Its ultimate goal is to be born into the world, so, if summoning one additional servant will allow it to accomplish this feat... Well, there's been a backlog of prana for the past hundred to two-hundred years (no victors of the past three wars), so allowing another servant to be summoned isn't completely out of the question. That, and Caster is important in canon... I'm lazy. What can you say? Essentially, Angra Mainyu's being a dick, and because Caster was essential to the original storyline, he stays.**

**Chapter four, going up now that I've said my piece. Enjoy. Rolling the disclaimer now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. I'm just an average joe, making his mark on this wonderful website. Don't own anything. **

**...Please don't sue me.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Four: Mystique and Intrigue

_"Saber, what is war?" The blond man asked suddenly, as the pair walked across a green field, of nothing but grass and shrubbery. _

_"I don't comprehend the question, master."_

_"People don't kill people, monsters kill people. War is a monster. Greed is a monster. Does that mean that I'm a monster too?"_

_"..."_

_"Ah, but heroes kill monsters. Monsters kill men, men kill heroes..."_

_"Enough, master. You are not a monster. No matter what you believe. I do not believe it, no, I cannot accept that. Have you not saved those villages, are you not fighting to protect?"_

_Naruto merely smiled wistfully and looked at the cloudy sky. "Ah, but didn't you know? Monsters kill men... Do the ends justify the means then? I digress... To be perfectly honest, bloodshed is still bloodshed, no matter how you try to justify it."_

_"Is that true then..." The pair watched the stormy sky, thunder rumbling and lightning flashing, and a gentle patter of rain falling from the heavens, as if some great god was crying._

_"Saber, who am I? Am I a monster, a man, a magus? Who am I?"_

_"Your name is Naruto Uzumaki. And you are my master, as I am your blade, you are my wielder."_

* * *

Kiritsugu frowned, and idly continued smoking a cigarette as he continued pondering his current predicament.

His _problem_ being numerous things, several of which were extremely pressing and would most certainly completely derail his plans.

First of all, his original catalyst was stolen. By Zelretch of all people. Zelretch. The old vampire left a fucking _note_ of all things, apologizing for the 'inconvenience' and etcetera. To complete the image, he left a small drawing of a chibi-Zelretch giving a peace symbol.

Old man Acht was _pissed_. It had taken quite a lot of time and effort to even locate Avalon, and then the greatest troll in the history of the Nasuverse had to go and steal it. Fortunately, the Einzberns had a backup. However, much to Kiritsugu's dismay, he got the servant class Avenger, meaning that there were no class benefits for his servant, Mordred.

Kiritsugu was irritated at this turn of events, but this wasn't what was bothering him. No, what Kiritsugu was currently worried about were the events that had just occurred at the docks. To be more specific, a certain magical blond.

Naruto Uzumaki.

The Magus Killer had heard of Naruto, heard of his various exploits. Like him, Naruto made a living by hunting Sealing Designates, Dead Apostles, and the like. He was known for not failing a single mission, for succeeding in each and every single one, and he was also known to have developed his own brand of magecraft. However, unlike Kiritsugu Emiya, the blond never, ever accepted missions that were morally ambiguous in nature, or were completely against his particular code of justice, only accepting the ones that involved 'Saving the innocent' or 'Killing threats to humanity'. This caused Kiritsugu to scoff at his actions, dismissing Naruto for his naivety.

Unknown to Kiritsugu, Naruto knew death all too well. And, unknown to Kiritsugu, the blond magus was far from naive and innocent. In fact, he could be called the very opposite of innocent.

The blond rolled around on his futon, muttering something about how someone was talking about him, before going back to sleep.

Kiritsugu Emiya was concerned now, for not only was there an unknown factor in this war (He hated unknowns), said factor was extremely powerful in his own right. The Magus Killer had a clean line of shot on Lancer's master, until Berserker interrupted, causing him to switch his focus. Thereby allowing him to witness the entire fight between servant and master.

It was disheartening to see. Not only had the unpredictable blond summoned King Arthur as Saber, he was capable of going head to head with Berserker. And winning. Not to mention, Naruto didn't play fair, luring Berserker into a hastily constructed trap, and again shortly afterwards.

The blond fought like a soldier, not a magus or a knight. And that was what worried Kiritsugu the most, to have this unforeseen opponent in the war that he had to worry about, and to have him be so powerful and with such a different mindset than that of a magus... it was most certainly not a good thing.

Not to mention, the blond was a magician. Apprenticed to Zelretch, user of the second Magic. All of these facts combined, meant that Naruto Uzumaki's 'danger rating' had just gone above eleven in Kiritsugu's mind. And so, the Magus Killer began plotting contingencies and plans to deal with this new element.

For his wish, for the sake of his dream. He would do whatever it took to make that dream a reality.

The Magus Killer continued pondering this thought, safe within the boundaries of Einzbern Castle. He continued scheming and plotting, even as his wife looked on, concerned for his well-being, even as Avenger, who was dressed in quite possibly one of the skimpiest outfits that Kiritsugu had ever had the misfortune to see, scoffed a little and continued wandering about said castle.

Eventually, he came to a conclusion.

_Uzumaki must be taken out first, if our plans are to succeed. All others... It doesn't matter. Saber's master must die, tonight._

He would do anything to ensure that his wish would be granted. That was who he was after all.

His original plan would have to be adjusted, to deal with this new variable, but that was acceptable.

"Maiya, Irisviel. Get ready. We're moving out tonight."

* * *

Over in the Uzumaki household, a spiky-haired blond was waking up. "Ugh, fucking sun..." He murmured as he squinted his eyes in an attempt to shield them from those burning rays.

"I swear, I will destroy you, you fiend." He spoke loudly as he sat up, rubbing his aching back. One night's sleep had proven to be enough to recover somewhat from the stresses of the previous night, but apparently his sore muscles would take a little longer to fully heal. Naruto sighed when he noticed a kneeling figure slumbering near his futon, sleeping while keeping watch over him.

As it turned out, Saber hadn't gone to sleep, instead, choosing to keep a silent vigil over him during the night. By the looks of things, she had basically stayed by his side until sheer exhaustion took hold.

"Honestly, she didn't need to worry so much..." Naruto muttered. "I can take care of myself, you know..." And then, the blond magus felt some guilt at making his servant worry so.

"I'll have to make it up to her, somehow." He sighed. "For now though... I better make breakfast."

* * *

Saber awoke to the smell of cooking food. She yawned and stretched in a manner that most would liken to that of a lazy feline that was sunbathing, before blinking in confusion. She was not by her master's side. In fact, she wasn't even in the same position. She was lying on a futon, specifically, her master's futon. The blond servant absentmindedly noted that it was quite warm and cozy, before she returned to reality.

"Naruto? Are you cooking breakfast?"

"Yup, I am. Just stay there, I'll be back shortly."

The green-eyed blond sighed as she relaxed in the beams of sunlight that were warm and inviting, and did her level best to calm down from the slight panic that had overtaken her.

Moments later, Naruto entered the room, holding a tray of food. A standard 'western' style breakfast, with bacon, toast, fried eggs and a glass of orange juice.

"Breakfast in bed, Saber. Enjoy!"

"Thank you, Naruto. But... You didn't need to go this far...?" Saber blinked in utter confusion.

"Saber, what did I say about-"

"My apologies!" She squeaked. "I was just surprised, that's all!"

Naruto set the tray of food on the ground. "You shouldn't have stayed up all night you know. It's bad for your health."

"As a servant I can handle more challenging environmental conditions than a normal human. You know that, Naruto."

"Still though, it can't have been comfortable..." The blond sighed. "There was no need to safe-guard me all night. It was unnecessary." He paused in contemplation. "Didn't we have a talk about this before?"

Saber's face fell.

"Ah... I appreciate the gesture though. Thank you for doing so." A sincere smile graced his lips, causing Saber's cheeks to heat slightly as she turned her head away, clearly embarrassed about her body's involuntary reaction.

"You're... Welcome?"

Naruto smiled winningly at his servant, before gesturing to the tray of food. "Well? Aren't you going to eat?"

"... Thank you. Naruto."

"Maa, maa... Don't thank me yet. You spent the whole night up, which means that you are going to lie in bed and eat, then actually get some sleep."

"I don't-"

_"Are we clear, Saber?!"_

"Yes..."

And so, Saber reluctantly allowed herself to be pampered by Naruto for a short period of time. Or not really as reluctant as she would have been three weeks ago, but I digress.

At any rate, the servant of the sword allowed herself to relax for a short while, trying to ease the tension out of her muscles. It was nice having someone around who would cater to your every need, she decided. More importantly, it was nice having a friend around who she could talk to.

And so, servant and master began their day in this fashion as the sun steadily rose, a day filled with promises.

"What is our plan of action today, Naruto?" Saber asked questioningly, sitting at the same table and sipping thecup of orange juice, while the blond in question was idly drawing a sealing matrix for one of his Hiraishin Kunai. A clone was creating more explosive tags, refurbishing losses. Naruto was a little OCD about his supplies. Just a little.

"Hmm? Plan of action?" Naruto sighed. "Well... We could check out Waver Velvet's place of residence. That was the one place we didn't go to last night."

Saber scowled in slight annoyance. "Very well, though..."

"Is something wrong, Saber?"

"That Rider character... He seems like..."

Naruto sighed. "Oi, oi... Saber... You can't just say that you dislike him, you know. Alexander seems to be a man of brutal honesty and great courage..."

"He is a moron." Saber dead-panned. "What kind of servant blatantly announces their identity like that? Granted, I inadvertently did so as well, but that was..."

The mood immediately became subdued, somber. "Mordred." Naruto muttered. "Mordred is going the be the biggest threat..."

"I concur, Naruto. If it is Mordred, then..."

"This war has become exponentially more difficult..." The blond magus pulled at his hair in sheer frustration. "GODDAMMIT ALL! First we have the fucking _King of Heroes_ summoned as Archer by one of the strongest magi in the war, then we have that crazy Berserker that could take two level three to the face and live, and now we have Mordred. Mordred of all people, why did their backup have to be Mordred?" Naruto paused to take a breath before continuing his rant. "At least, Mordred isn't at one-hundred percent... If she was, this would be even harder than it already is."

More silence, until Saber spoke.

"Is that your plan of action then?"

"No. No, it isn't... Not anymore. A good thing that came about from last night, is that we learned the abilities and identities of most of the servants in the war, and their respective masters. Rider and Velvet aren't that much of a threat, however, Emiya and Mordred... They have to be taken out first."

He sighed, and raked a hand through his golden mane, momentarily straightening it before it spiked up again, and began to speak once more,

"The problem is that they're situated in a castle of all things, making a frontal assault idiotic. No... Saber. Would you hate me if I told you that..."

The servant sighed. "You are going to do something that is the exact opposite of chivalry again, aren't you."

"Mordred is a serious threat, even when she is not allowed to use one arm, and Emiya is a cunning opponent, an even more potent threat. We're going to ambush them then, when they come out of the castle."

Saber blinked. "Why would they come out of the castle?"

"Because, in order to heal Avenger's arm..."

"They're going to target Lancer and Lancer's master, in order to treat Avenger's un-healable wound by ensuring that the cause of said wound is slain, meaning that they'll have to leave the castle at some point, and at that time..."

" is when we'll strike."

"... I have no objections, Naruto. It is... Necessary. Avenger is a threat that must be eliminated... I do have one request, Naruto. I wish to fight Avenger in a duel, face my inner demons honorably. Will you allow me this?"

Naruto sighed, and grabbed a cup of tea. "Will you win?"

"You know me, Naruto."

The blond's lips twitched upwards into a wry smile. "In that case, do whatever you wish. Just win, that is the one thing that I ask of you."

"Of course. Have you no faith in me?"

"You know me, Saber. What do you think?"

* * *

While all of this was going on, Tokiomi Tohsaka and Kirei Kotomine were making their own plans. Currently the schemers were situated in Tokiomi's estate, the red-suited man reclining on a comfortable chair while his companion shuffled nervously in a corner.

"That Saber... That will be trouble." Tokiomi spoke, breaking the frigid silence. "Her and her master... To think that someone could summon the legendary King of Knights, as Saber, and then proceed to fight a servant head to head and not lose outright, and succeed in pushing it back..."

Kirei had used his Assassin to spy on the masters and servants last night. Rather, it was a manifestation of an aspect of Assassin, a clone. Gilgamesh had killed nothing but a clone on the first night, causing the other masters to believe Assassin had been eliminated, when in actuality... The servant was hale and hearty.

"He shall have to be eliminated then, if he is a magician on top of that, and to match Berserker in physical combat, even if Berserker would have overpowered him..." The red-suited 'elegant' man murmured under his breath. "He and his servant... They shall have to go first."

"Very well then." Kirei Kotomine replied curtly. "Assassin shall dispatch him then, as soon as we find his base of operations."

"Good. Even a man such as he cannot hope to survive an assault from the servant of silent murder. Even if he can face Berserker head to head, he can still fall to the knife in his back."

Unfortunately, it would not be as easy as that. Assassin was an assassin, true, but Naruto was, by profession... Well, he was an Assassin of Assassins, if anything. Therefore... Killing him would not be as simple as that, as Tokiomi and Kirei were about to learn.

You have to feel sorry for him. Assassin, I mean.

Kirei Kotomine was in a state of excitement, or curiosity. He was wondering, just what was Kiritsugu Emiya's reason for existing, and he was also wondering...

_Just why on earth are you so strong? Naruto Uzumaki? Why did you strive for strength? What is __your__ purpose in life?_

This distorted man would get his answers, one way or another. One way or another... There was another in this war who had drawn his interest.

* * *

Naruto and Saber were, once again, on patrol. This had become a custom for the duo, a 'tradition' if it were. It was a habit, and in an assassin's line of work, habits were bad. However, this one wasn't, seeing as the time from which the blonds left from their household varied from day to day, and the route they traveled also varied.

It was mid-day in Fuyuki City, another peaceful day. The populace completely unaware of the destruction that had occurred the previous night, unaware that there was a war raging beneath this peaceful surface. Unaware that eight masters were ripping at one another's throats. The church had covered up the destruction at the docks effectively, spinning lies, weaving tales to conceal the nature of the Holy Grail War and preserve the secrecy of Magecraft.

It was just another day. Naruto sighed in a small amount of content and bliss as he leaned against a wall and crossed his arms, relishing the small amount of sunlight that shone down on his body, basking in its warmth. It was hard to imagine that just last night, he was involved in a conflict of the supernatural. Hard to imagine that he had been close to death the previous night.

Berserker could have killed him, almost too easily. The maddened servant was faster, stronger, and more skilled than he was, which spoke volumes about the black knight's skill, considering Naruto was one of the best warriors of his era. If the battle had continued as it had, there would be one less spiky haired blond on the planet. Fortunately for Naruto, he didn't fight fair. As Shikamaru Nara once said, 'That spiky blond-haired blue-eyed bastard? In combat? He's a true ninja then. He doesn't fight fair.'.

Truth be told, Naruto was actually holding back a fair bit against Berserker, but he sensed that the black knight was also withholding the majority of his (Her? Nah, definitely a guy, with that roar.) power.

Berserker would be a ridiculously tough opponent. However, in comparison to that King of Heroes...

_While Berserker is a powerful unknown, Archer is an even more powerful known variable. And then there is Avenger, who is essentially the anti-thesis to King Arthur, and it just so happens that King Arthur is my servant._

_Avenger must go first._

Which is why Naruto was on patrol with his more petite servant, to monitor enemy movements. He could have used shadow clones to do so, however...

_The backlash from the memories put me in a coma far too many times for my liking._

And so, we find our protagonist in the situation that he is currently in, basking in the sun like some overgrown house-cat. He glanced over to his right side, where Saber was standing, lowering long lashes over brilliant emerald eyes. Motes of dust could be seen floating in the brilliant beams of that ball of incandescent gas, light playing along her petite figure, along her half smile, along her lidded eyes.

Naruto felt fingers brush against his own tanned hand, before said fingers jerked away. He sighed. Saber, the blond magus quietly mused, was a unique woman. He looked at her face once more, at her almost melancholy smile.

Sadly, as much as he would like to relish in the feeling of companionship once more, they had business to attend to.

"Saber. Do you see that?" The blond frowned.

Saber tensed as she slowly glanced in the direction her master was staring in, sneaking a peek at a secluded alleyway where a slumped figure was barely discernible. "Yes, but I fail to see how this could be relevant to the war, Naruto."

"Oh, but it is all too relevant, Saber. All too relevant." The blond stood, brushed specks of dust off of his suit and began to walk to the alley. Saber blinked in confusion before following Naruto. She would trust him, she had trusted him in the past and the spiky haired magus hadn't not delivered. Why shouldn't she trust him now? And that was the crux of the matter, wasn't it?

She trusted him.

* * *

A slumped over man, dressed in a shabby hoodie and jeans, with white hair, disfigured face, breathing laboriously. It was clear that he was in pain, crippling agonizing pain.

Naruto shook his head as he beheld the fallen figure.

"Really, the things that you have done to yourself... Was that really necessary, Kariya Matou?"

The man who was sprawled on the ground lifted a weary head, and glared at the well dressed blond, in anger and contempt. "You know nothing of my life, or why this was necessary. Is there a point? Why are you here, Naruto Uzumaki, master of Saber?"

Naruto shrugged. "I myself do not know." He sighed and knelt next to Kariya, who emitted another pain-filled grunt. "You are obviously suffering. Dear God, what have you done?"

"Does it matter? Why would you care?"

A light patter of footsteps behind both masters alerted Naruto to his servant's presence. "Is it wrong to care about your fellow man?"

"As if you could know what it is to care about someone." Kariya muttered sourly.

The blond haired man said nothing, although he did prevent Saber from venting her frustrations against the Matou master. "I see... Who is it that you're battling for?"

"Wh... What?"

"It is, isn't it. The reason you're fighting."

"What are you saying...?" Kariya murmured, confused.

"Kariya Matou, last scion to the Matou family. Estranged for many years, you left Fuyuki city and just came back one year ago at your father's request. You turned your back on the heritage of a magus. So, why would you come back? Better yet, why would you compete in a war like this?" Burning blue eyes fixated on Kariya's dead eye and tired, pain-filled orb. "Why are you a master, Kariya Matou?"

"... How do you know this much?" The shabbily dressed man asked, trembling in fear, or rage. "You know this much..."

"If you think that I would go into a battle without any information as to my opponent's capabilities, without intelligence, then you are underestimating me from the get-go." Naruto sighed, and raked a hand through his spiky mane of hair. "I had gathered information on the prospective masters, you know."

"... Heh. Heh. Ha." Kariya began laughing, chuckling, almost maniacally. "You know this much, and you still know nothing..."

"What are you saying..." Naruto murmured cautiously. "It is obvious, isn't it? No human, well, no sane human would disfigure himself or herself like that willingly, not without just cause. And you had given up on your family..." His eyes narrowed. "Blackmail? Hostages? I've met that old worm before, disgusting experience. He's not human, in any way shape or form..."

"Heh, you got it. I never wanted any of this, but I had no choice. There's a girl that I have to save."

"Girl? Not a wife, you're not married, and there is no indication... Illegitimate or adopted daughter then, or a sister?"

"She's essentially a daughter to me." Kariya muttered. "I have to save her from that worm... He promised to let her go, if I won the grail."

Naruto sighed. "You must love her very much, if you're willing to kill yourself in this manner for her sake."

"I have to win, and you're in my way." Kariya sighed. "I'm sorry for this, but it must be done. Ber-"

Kariya froze when he felt the tip of a knife dig into his throat, held by the blond man who was acting casual not too long ago.

"Finish that sentence and we shall see who is faster. My blade or your servant." Naruto hissed in cold fury. This was not the casual man who idly chatted with the Matou's master, who was relaxed and unconcerned about meeting an enemy Magus. This was a professional assassin. A killer, who had no qualms about killing. All the masks, the illusions, had fallen.

Kariya felt despair, for Naruto had moved much, much faster than he could perceive. Even if he could summon Berserker, he would be bleeding out on the ground with a cut throat before the servant of madness could counter the blond's movement.

But... He would fight back. Because Sakura would suffer if he didn't. He had to save Sakura, he had to save Sakura, he had to-

Therefore, Kariya was shocked when the knife moved away from his throat, and was swiftly re-sheathed in some unknown (to him) location.

"Man, you're serious about it, aren't you. You really love her." Naruto mused, looking almost... wistful? "Well, who am I to deprive a man of the desire to save his loved ones?" The blond man began walking away, with Saber looking on stoically.

"W... Wait. You're just going to leave me alone? You know, I could stab you in the back, right?"

Naruto sighed, and turned back.

"You know... Once, I was in a position like the one that you're in right now..." He said, softly. "I'm not going to go into details, but it ended on an extremely sour note for all of the parties involved. Seeing that same situation unfold right now... It makes me a little sad." The blue-eyed man turned and continued walking. "Besides, you seem like a fairly decent guy. It's a shame you were born into a shitty family, but what can you do?"

"I can still stab you in the back..."

"If you think you can live with the repercussions, go on. Just know, I promised someone that I would live on. I will not die quietly."

Kariya went silent at this, for while he could sic Berserker on Naruto, the blond master had literally held his life in his hands, and let him go. While before, he would have just plain killed the man to be one step closer to freeing Sakura...

_He wasn't lying when he said he knows my situation. And he..._

"Wait. I know that this is rather sudden, but... Can you help me with a matter?" The dying man gritted out. The crest worms implanted in his body were burning, eating away at his brain and nervous system. It was excruciating pain.

"Oh? And what is this that you would like assistance with?"

"You seem like a good person, and you know of my family..."

"Of your family, not about your family. What of it?"

"Well, you're still better than that piece of shit that's my father..." Kariya trailed off. "Anyway... That old vampire... do you know, he's lived well over five hundred years now?"

"Yes." Naruto blinked in confusion. "What of it? I admit that is an unusually long time, but why begin there?"

"Do you know how he stays alive? He has familiars, worms. Blood worms."

The blond magus shuddered in revulsion. "Eurgh, those things? They freaked the crap out of me when I first knew about them, from my earlier learnings in magecraft... Fucking Zelretch and his trolling..."

"He's composed of them. To be more exact, his body is composed of his familiars, a conglomerate of worms with a special appetite for human flesh and blood that combine themselves to take a human form."

Naruto felt his eyes widen. "Oh god. He implanted those things in you in order to simulate magical circuits, didn't he?"

"Guess who else he did it to."

The blond took a step back, face completely shocked and horrified, before becoming confusingly calm, a sort of tranquil rage embedding itself into his mentality.

"How old is she?"

"Five years old."

At this proclamation, if looks could kill, one Zouken Matou could find himself staring down double barrels of blue death.

"I see... He implanted those things inside of a little girl. How... distasteful." And if words could drip venom... No, this was ice, ice chilled at absolute zero, cold enough to freeze the black flames of Amaterasu.

Someone was going to die tonight.

"As much as the very concept sickens me, what are you telling me this for?"

"I... I want to make a deal with you. You seem to be a decent guy."

"You have no proof of this. I am an enemy, you do realize. Your enemy in this Holy Grail war. Why would you ask me for assistance?"

Kariya laughed again. "You're admitting it. That immediately makes you more trustworthy than most of the other magi in this stupid war. I don't even care about a cup, I just want to save Sakura. Heh, I'm so pathetic I need to go to a total stranger for help... That's so low of me, but please, I beg you... Just save her. Please."

Naruto sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you going to trust me then? Trust a complete stranger, a person who was your servant's combatant just last night? You shouldn't you know, shouldn't trust a potential enemy."

"Where else can I go? Who else can I go to? It is stupid, foolish, but I still beg you, please save Sakura, please."

Naruto knelt down to the almost sobbing man, and placed a hand on his shoulders.

"... I'd call you an idiot for placing your trust in a person you have no right to place trust in, regardless though... I'll save her. This I swear, Kariya Matou. You have my word, and I never break a promise."

"So long as you rescue her from my bastard of an uncle."

"... Desperate men do desperate things in times of need, huh? I like you, Kariya Matou. If you'e willing to go this far to save one girl... Most people wouldn't have that kind of mental fortitude, or willpower. Quite commendable."

"Will you do it then? Will you save her?"

"I said I would, didn't I?"

* * *

Naruto walked out of the alley, hands in pockets and a scowl on his face. His mood had been severely dampened by this occurrence. Saber walked slightly behind him.

"Naruto, are you going to help him then? He is an enemy master, you do realize." Saber spoke, a disapproving tone in her voice.

"Saber. Those eyes. They weren't the eyes of a frightened man, of an angered man, of a calculating man. Tell me, where else did you see those eyes?" When thhere was no reply, the blond-haired man continued. "Those eyes that are filled with nothing but determination and the will to move on..."

"He reminds you of... You. Doesn't he."

"A man who sacrificed everything for the sake of his loved ones. Yes, that man, that Kariya Matou has no regrets, doesn't he."

"Why are you helping him? You and your hero complex... This man could be lying to you, you do realize."

"Because no child deserves to go through the hell that Kariya told me that Sakura was going through. Because Kariya seems to be a good man, even if he did order that black thing to attack us. Because, by saving this 'Sakura', we can gain a prospective ally, earn his good will. And because I have been trained to discern whether or not a person is lying. He had no tells, he did not give any outward appearance of deception through his body language and manner of speaking. He wasn't lying, Saber. And even if he was... It wouldn't hurt to investigate, wouldn't it?"

"... I knew that you had an actual, pragmatic reason for this action." Saber sighed and put a hand over her eyes.

"You know me well, Saber."

"True... Very well then."

"I suppose we'll both be taking the role of a knight today. After all, in the stories, don't the knights try to rescue the princess?"

Saber chuckled at this. "Why, I suppose it does. After all..."

"Monsters kill men. Heroes kill monsters. Men kill heroes. Today, we shall be killing a monster, to be more specific, a worm, at the behest of this poor man." Naruto completed Saber's half-finished statement and began to walk faster. "Let's go, Saber. We have things that must be attended to, places that must be examined, information that must be gathered..."

"Another day then." The green-eyed woman finished.

"Another day."

* * *

"Heh." Kariya Matou wheezed from where he was slumped against a wall, in that same dirty alleyway. Fuyuki City had a lot of those.

"Ah, did I make a mistake? Entrusting Sakura's safety to that shifty dude?" He thought about the question for a while before shrugging a little bit. "Nope, probably not. That guy... I don't know why, but I get this feeling that I can trust him. It's just a feeling, but it's better than the ones that I have of my stupid brother and uncle. Yeah, if it's that guy... He'll save Sakura. No doubt about it. After all, anyone who can make that kind of scary expression can almost certainly deal with that old vampire."

"He'll save Sakura. I just... Know he can. If it's that person, he can do it."

Kariya Matou was a desperate man, clinging on to a crumbling ladder, seeking the tiniest rays of hope in the hell his life had become. It was a spur of the moment decision, based on the blond's personality and fighting prowess that had caused him to ask for said blond's assistance in this matter. A desperate plan, made by a man so desperate he would work with his enemies if it meant Sakura Matou's well being.

"You better kill that monster, Naruto."

**A/N: And we're done. Phew. Glad to get that out of the way.**

**Anyway. On to the summaries and the like.**

**Naruto painted a massive target on his own head when he proved that he could stand against Berserker. We're talking visible from orbit massive. Yeah, he didn't make a lot of friends.**

**Kirei spied with Assassin and reported to Tokiomi. That's how Tokiomi knew the things that happened after Gilgamesh left.**

**Kariya, as I said, is a desperate man. He's also a little pragmatic, in trying to use Naruto to save Sakura. Naruto is also pragmatic though, so they're really using each other, if you think about it. Why he didn't summon Berserker right off the bat? Well, for one, keeping the guy materialized is really bad on Kariya's health. Like, really really bad, breaking spine and nervous system bad. Two, he kind of has to preserve the secrecy of magecraft, even if he doesn't really want to: it would be inconvenient to be found out. Berserker... IS NOT THE CLASS OF SUBTLETY. Not at all, more akin to a fucking wrecking ball than anything. Finally Naruto had him at knifepoint before he could think of summoning his servant. At least, that's my reasoning for that.**

**And yes, Naruto has a tiny bit of a hero complex. Not that bad, but it is noticeable, to the point where he'll help out that random guy, for his own reasons mind you but he'll still help him out. And why he trusted Kariya off the bat, well, he's been trained as an interrogator when he was a ninja, right? He'd be able to tell if a guy is lying to him. Just know that better people have tried, and failed. And even if it is a trap, there's no real harm in investigating, seeing as Saber and Naruto combined could probably stand a really great chance of taking out anyone short of a serious Gilgamesh.**

**Mordred was known in life for killing King Arthur, so essentially, Mordred is an 'Anti-King Arthur' type servant. That's why Naruto thinks that Mordred poses the largest threat, because Mordred is perfectly geared to kill King Arthur. Add the Magus Killer into the equation as Mordred's master, and things will escalate quickly.**

**No Caster yet, but the minute he starts killing people/perving on Saber, Naruto is definitely going to go ballistic.**

**As for Zouken? Heads are going to roll. Kekekekekekekeke... Next few chapters deals with the entire 'Saving Sakura Matou' concept. Not going to reveal much more.**

**Stat sheets are on the press, and I'm putting the final touches on those.**

**And, I think that I have an ending set up. Well, four endings really. I have a morally ambiguous ending (Basically, the end of Fate/Zero with my own twists), a good ending (like UBW route true ending), a golden ending (UBW route good ending), and a not-really-good-leaning-to-bad ending(Heaven's feel route). Still haven't decided which one to use, but we shall persevere! I'll see if I can get that decided.**

**Updates will be sporadic. I have final exams and AP testing coming up and end of course stuff... A lot on my plate. I don't have much free time. When summer comes though, things will probably get better. But until then? Nope.**

**By the way, I am taking challenges and ideas, so if you have any story ideas, challenges or concepts, just send those to me. Who knows, your idea may become a story!**

**Once again, tell me what I'm doing wrong and how to do no wrong. Feedback is very important in any story. I can't promise that I'll look at it immediately with all the shit that I'm going through right now, but I'll try.**

**I've said my piece. Rein Hellfire is signing out now**.

**Update 1: Thank you for catching that CloudBloodbane****. Edited.**


	6. Storming the Fortress (Part One)

**A/N:**

**Yes. We. Are. Winning.**

**One hundred reviews. One hundred. 100. Ten tens. Ten squared. Ten to the second power. One zero zero. Triple digits. Twenty fives, five twenties, four twenty-fives.**

**One hundred reviews. Fuck yes. Can we get a win sign here? Because you guys are winners. The best, the most awesome beautiful people have gathered here. The best part? We don't have any flames. Hallelujah!**

**Really though, I'm extremely happy that this monumental thing has occurred. And the winner is... RedhathackerSin, who is THE hundredth reviewer. Big applause to him. A large volume of applause, for being the center of this epic victory.**

**On with the chapter. (I would like for someone to make a win sign though, that would put a smile on my face.)**

**Naruto's power level, as always, is one of contention. Is he too powerful? Is he too nerfed? Give him mystical eyes! Don't give him bloodlines! In response to this, I'll simply say that I'm trying to compromise. Making a completely wimpy protagonist is boring and dull, like one of those useless harem protagonists. Making him overpowered ruins the entire story, there is no conflict. In every good story, there has to be some form of conflict, and it has to be questionable as to whether or not the good guy will win, especially since we are in the Nasuverse, and happy endings are few and far between. If you have issues with the way that I'm trying to work things out, I apologize in advance. Which brings me to...**

**The entire Od vs Chakra debate. I kind of decided to sort of gloss over it. For one, because it isn't really serious, but it's one of those things that can become serious if I spend too much time obsessing over it.**

**The way I see it, Chakra and Od accomplish the same purpose, and Nature Chakra and Mana are also basically the same entity in function, in that Chakra and Od are 'energy of the body' whereas Nature Chakra and Mana are 'energy of the world'. So, in this fic, Chakra and Prana are going to be treated the same, because they both accomplish the same purpose and have the same idea. I know that Chakra is Physical Energy and Spiritual Energy mixed together, and I have no idea what Od is composed of, but for the sake of this fiction, assume that they are the same. Same goes for Nature Chakra and Mana: It's two ways of classifying one kind of energy, and we're using the Nasuverse standard in this fic.**

**You know what? We're done with that. I'm throwing my arms up in disgust at myself for obsessing over something THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO MEANING IN MY STORY! Seriously, it doesn't really matter! If it doesn't impact the plot so much, why am I freaking out over it? God damn, now I feel depressed, because this 'issue' really has no impact on the plot. It really doesn't.**

**Pairing is Naruto and Saber. That's it for now. This author will not write a harem pairing for a multitude of reasons, which shall not be disclosed at this time. Many a PM was sent to me requesting a harem, but I shall not. So there.**

**Alright, I believe we're done. Yo Bob! Hit me up with that disclaimer!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. What I'm doing right now? Playing in the wonderful universe that these authors have created. I'm quite literally, a child in a vast blue ocean. Right now I'm trying not to drown.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Five: Storming the Fortress (Part One)

_A clack of wood against wood as Naruto dodged a blow to the head and swiftly counter-attacked, only to be parried by a wooden blade. He leapt backwards and threw himself to the ground in order to avoid another scything blow that ruffled his spiky golden hair nonetheless._

_"Damm, Saber. Are you trying to kill me?"_

_Saber, the smaller blond sighed. "Always so melodramatic, master." She swung again. "In a battle, you should not be distracted so easily!"_

_Naruto parried the blow, immediately regretting the action shortly afterwards as pain immediately flared up in his bruised and battered limbs that could not compete with the monstrous strength his servant exhibited. It kind of surprised him, how such a petite and tiny looking girl could hit so hard. _

_Then again, Sakura Haruno had been as thin looking, and she could make a crater in the ground by punching it. Akane had also been-_

_A bamboo sword whacked his head in his moment of reflection, cracking against his skull. _

_"My apologies, master! I didn't mean to-"_

_"Saber. It's fine, really. I'll be alright." Naruto winced as he rubbed his head, pausing when a red substance glistened on his fingers. "I'm bleeding? Huh. Well, head wounds always look worse than they actually are." _

_"Master, you should rest." Naruto sighed at this proclamation. _

_"Mmm... Probably." He sat down, dressed in a sweat-drenched black T-shirt and jeans._

_Saber stood there, in her white blouse and blue skirt, before sighing and lowering the sword that she was carrying._

_"Are you really alright?"_

_"I'm fine, Saber. You don't need to fuss over me like this."_

_The blond servant gave Naruto a dead-pan look with those piercing green eyes._

_"The last time you said that, you had a broken femur, three fractured ribs, a cracked skull, massive internal bleeding, torn muscles everywhere, a ruptured liver and kidneys..."_

_"I get it, I get it! Geez."_

_"Master, do you not care for yourself? You're killing yourself, you do realize. It is not necessary for you to fight like you are. It is already quite the accomplishment, being able to stand against me for an hour. Normal men cannot even hope to give me a defensive fight, and yet you are able to stand your ground..."_

_"Tch, it's not good enough. No, I'm not good enough..." Naruto sighed. "If I can't manage even this much, I won't be able to stay alive."_

_"Stay alive?"_

_"Mmm... I have to live, in memoriam of all of my comrades who have died. I have to live, to honor their memories, and I have to live because I was ordered to live. If I can't even manage this much, then what kind of man would I be?"_

_Saber's master was strong. His will was of iron, his resolve of steel. He kept on pushing himself to the limits, breaking the boundaries with every step that he took. He didn't believe in 'fate', rather, he would punch fate in the nose._

_She envied him, for having the resolve to move forward. Envied and admired her master, but above all else... She was glad, to have this type of master, who could fight. _

_Naruto could fight._

_Saber raised her sword. "Shall we continue then, master?"_

_"Let's, Saber."_

_And with another clashing of wood on wood, battle was joined. _

_Unfortunately, while Naruto could move forward, there were some traces of the past that could never be erased. And even then, he wasn't truly moving on._

* * *

The blond-haired shinobi-turned-magus frowned as he squinted his eyes at the piece of paper he was inscribing a seal on. Our protagonist was currently ensorcelled in his workshop, a quiet room inside his traditional household. To be more specific, it was located in a separate dimension of space inside of his house.

Seals were wonderful, wonderful things. Especially those that dealt with time and space.

At first glance, it seemed like a barren, strange room, with wooden flooring, dry-wall walls, and a plain ceiling. There was a wooden desk and chair in one corner of the room, a futon that was in another corner. There was also a wooden door on one side of this room, which was windowless, and seemingly air-tight Which it was: Naruto had enough pure oxygen stored in his seals to last him a week, if he conserved it properly, as the blond didn't want to run the risk of some kind of biological attack. He was rather paranoid about some things, his workshop being one of them.

The workshop was heavily, heavily protected besides that. Security seals were in place, hidden beneath the floorboards and inside the walls (Which were only covered in dry-wall: They were made out of a pretty sturdy material regardless) that would do terrible, terrible things to any idiotic intruders that were stupid enough to infiltrate this workshop.

And while it seemed plain, it held several... hidden features that actually allowed it to function as a workshop. Hidden indeed.

It was his sanctuary, his escape of escapes. It had taken Naruto five hours to trace the sealing matrix needed to access this room, and another twenty-four in order to actually access the dimension in which his workshop was located, when he had created it a year and a half prior to the Grail War.

It was here where he created his explosive tags, improving his knowledge and researching sealing techniques, experimenting with Space-Time type magecraft. If there was a branch of 'magecraft' that Naruto truly excelled in, it would be sealing. Sealing was really an adaptation of the techniques that already existed in the Elemental Nations, but it was nice to see that he had a place where he could continually invent new seals to do new things.

Personally, Naruto didn't really care about most of the formalities that magi were prone to having, but there were some things that he did agree with. The establishment of a place of research for instance.

Which is why he was currently ensorcelled inside said place of research. Today he was trying to decrease the amount of time needed to unseal and seal objects within sealing scrolls, a project that he had been working on for the past month. (He had gotten down to one-fourth of a second to unseal a kunai so far), but he was finding himself preoccupied.

The reason for his preoccupation was because of the new matter that had been brought to him. Kariya Matou and Sakura Matou.

"Tch." Naruto sighed, and pushed away the sealing array that he had been fiddling with. "I can't concentrate."

Naruto knew for a fact that Kariya was telling the truth. He had been trained to tell if someone was lying after all. Kariya gave away absolutely nothing in his body language, bodily condition, actions, manner of speaking, nothing. This meant that he was either telling the truth, or that he was an incredibly skilled liar.

The entire situation that Berserker's master sounded logical though, given the information that Naruto had collected.

The blond magus groaned and thumped his head onto his desk.

"Damn, this is fucked up."

In the blond's experience, knowledge was power. And going into a potentially dangerous situation completely blind would get good people killed.

Fortunately, he wasn't blind. Far from it in fact.

"Information is the key." Naruto murmured. "I have all the information that I need, I just have to put the pieces of the puzzle together... Planning and deception."

And with that, the blond leaned back as he reviewed his situation.

Point one: Kariya Matou was being forced to take part in this Holy Grail War. He was not participating by his own will. Master of Berserker.

Point two: The hostage is named Sakura Matou. Five years old, and being infested by blood worms, an agonizing and horrific torture. Kariya has also been infected by worms.

Point three: The worms are being controlled by Zouken Matou, who is most certainly defiling the sanctity of the soul.

Point four: Matou mansion was a stronghold, a place that has been fortified by an ancient magus family for several generations. A fortress, if you will.

Point five: Mass destruction will lead to the death of the hostage and unwanted attention. Not to mention the collateral damage that would ensue. Collateral damage is intolerable, and involving innocents is also intolerable.

Point six: Unwanted attention has already been drawn by the actions of the previous night. Moving openly would lead to even further scrutiny, and without a doubt, most if not all the masters would be gunning for the most dangerous master in the war.

Naruto mulled over these six points for a while as he formulated his plan of action.

"Hrm... Pros, I can potentially get an ally, I get to save an innocent girl from an absolutely horrendous fate, and I would get to punch that old worm's face in. Cons... Possible intervention by enemy masters and servants, possible collateral damage, and more of my capabilities are going to be exposed. Decisions, decisions..."

After five minutes of deliberation, Naruto made his decision. The blond chuckled weakly as he suddenly sat straighter and laced his fingers together, leaning with his elbows on his desk.

"I already decided anyway. Didn't I? So why am I even worrying about it? Now the question is... How to accomplish this feat?"

* * *

It was a quiet night. All too quiet, just like the previous night had been.

One could hear the noise of insects buzzing, of small animals crawling around in the underbrush, of soft rustlings and movement.

A crunching of dirt, as two pairs of shoes stepped their way to the deserted mansion. Or what seemed to be a deserted mansion. Well, semi-deserted. The place looked slightly run-down and shabby, and had a very sinister air to it. It was bigger than the Tohsaka residence, however, the very atmosphere of the place made it pretty clear that nothing pretty was going on in there.

The residence of Zouken Matou, and the Matou family in general. A fitting place of residence for a worm.

"What a disgusting sight."

Naruto, the blond-haired man, twitched the minute he caught sight of that accursed manor. Saber looked at her master, clearly confused by his sudden foul mood. He seemed completely annoyed and angry at the mansion, if his tone was anything to go by. It was blatantly dripping acid and anger, to the point where even the most socially inept person could tell that Naruto was pissed.

"Naruto, is there something wrong?"

"I have a bad feeling, Saber. Zouken Matou has truly crossed the line when it comes to my patience." Naruto replied, still angry. "Not so bad per-say, but I am feeling more angry than I have been this past month."

The blond servant blinked in confusion and tilted her head slightly to the side.

"Are these blood worms truly that bad?"

Naruto shuddered in utter disgust. "Worse. They're the lowest of the lowest familiars, foul and disgusting. They're excellent prana sinks, acting like artificial magic circuits, however the cost is extremely high to use them in that manner." Naruto clenched a fist. "A male that has been infested by these abominations will have his spine shattered, his nervous system fried, bones broken and flesh twisted by the worms. I do not wish to speak of what happens when a female has been infested."

Saber took a staggered step back when the implications hit home. "That's disgusting."

"Very." Naruto walked onwards, towards the depressing mansion. "And that is why we are here. We are here to rescue a little girl that never deserved that horrifying fate." He glanced at his servant. "Am I understood?"

"Yes, Naruto. I know." Saber took a deep breath. "This man needs to die, Naruto. He needs to die tonight. His crimes are far too great to overlook."

The blond master grinned his foxy grin. Except this one was much more feral, and thirsting for blood. "I plan on it, Saber."

"Should we expect opposition then?"

Naruto sighed. "Knowing the nature of our opponents in this war, we can probably assume that the minute we stepped outside of the effective range of my seals, we've been spied on. Keep your guard up."

"After all, the knife that stabs from behind is more dangerous than the axe in the front." Saber muttered. "On my honor as a knight, justice shall be served today."

"Another matter. Zouken Matou is one of those people who were the creators of the Holy Grail system apparently. He helped design this entire war. He is certainly not to be underestimated, and I have no doubts that he will not go down without a fight."

More silence, as the pair surveyed the depressing mansion, before Saber spoke up.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. But, how are we going to get in?"

"We'll knock. We're civilized after all, right?"

* * *

Byakuya Matou was bored. Bored, bored bored. What should he do? The thing was, Byakuya Matou was a useless piece of shit essentially. He was inferior to his brother as a magus. He was inferior as a head of a magical family, and he was a sniveling coward and wimp.

He was essentially... Well, he looked like Shinji Matou if Shinji grew up (Ironic because he's Shinji's father), with the sniveling attitude instead of the arrogant personality. Nowadays, he indulged himself in the various conveniences of modern day life: Fine food and alcohol. He was trying to make the most out of being placed as clan head by an old vampire, whom he was absolutely terrified of.

He's still a useless coward though.

His son was born without any magic circuits, making him completely unfit as the heir for a magus family. That's where Sakura Matou, formerly Sakura Tohsaka came in. She had massive magical potential, as much as her sister. Her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, decided to give her to Zouken for a number of reasons.

One, because it was obvious that both of his daughters would be fighting in the Holy Grail War, he would have them fight each other, and more fame and glory given to the one who prevailed. And two contention for rights to be a heir to a magus family was very high, and he didn't need his daughters fighting unnecessarily, and Sakura's 'Imaginary Numbers' were less important than Rin's 'Average One' status.

If Naruto knew this, he would have snorted and promptly kicked Tokiomi in the stomach for being a dumbass. Throwing away your family for shitty reasons like that was something that he deeply frowned upon.

So it came to be that Sakura Matou arrived at the Matou household. And her subsequent infestation by those deplorable crest worms, the worms that simulated a magical crest, but whose side effects were absolutely horrifying. As Naruto had stated, in a male, the worms would destroy one's body. However, in a female's body...

It was something out of a bad hentai really, the kinds that are obscene and disgusting. (This author shall not describe the worm pit). And that was Sakura's training. To be immersed in a pit of these disgusting worms that were a part of her 'Grandfather', in order to 'Learn the Matou style of magecraft'. Keep in mind, she is only five years old. She had lost her innocence at the tender age of FIVE. The amount of horror and sadness that a five year old should be deflowered... It's sad and depressing.

Byakuya didn't really care about his new 'Daughter'. He was more concerned that his 'Uncle' would try to put HIM into the worm pit as well. Death by worm was definitely not a pretty way to go, as Kariya and Sakura were proving. No, best to keep his head low and do whatever it took to save his own skin.

In a fit of drunken pique, Byakuya decided to go outside for a walk. Why? He was drunk. And he somehow, in his drunken daze, decided that it would be an absolutely terrific idea to go outside.

He was in the main hall leading to the main door, when he noticed something strange. There was a tapping noise emanating from the large wooden double-doored doorway.

"Whaa... Whash thish... Str... Strangeth noiseth..." He slurred. He was completely wasted at this point.

Surely it couldn't have been intruders. The wards and barriers should have kept away all mundanes and most magi. You'd have to be able to break into a fortress in order to get into the Matou estate essentially. There was no one who lived here that could do that, right?

What Byakuya forgot was that there was a Holy Grail War going on. Which meant that at least two of the masters would be completely capable of penetrating the Matou wards. He also failed to notice the thunking noises that were emanating from the large mahogany door, which was indicative of someone placing something on the door.

He did however catch the phrase that someone cheerfully called out.

"Didn't you know? Art is an Explosion!"

The blue-haired wimp blinked blearily, still drunk out of his mind, but rapidly sobering up. "Wha-"

"KATSU!"

And with a deafening boom, the door was blasted off of its hinges, broken into four pieces. The fact that it remained mostly intact after such a massive explosion was testament to how sturdy it was. Two of the pieces, which consisted of two halves of one of the double doors, wedged themselves in walls, spraying wooden shrapnel everywhere like some sort of freakish grenade.

One of the pieces, about 7/8ths of the other door, sailed across the hallway, grazing Byakuya' scalp, before landing with a 'thunk' sound in the wall that faced what used to be a door. It quivered for a while before finally settling down.

However, the final fragment of the door found a much more unfortunate location to land. It was the sharpest fragment, in the shape of a large splinter or stake, really. It was very sharp and pointy, and would undoubtedly give a person painful splinters if they accidentally poked themselves with it. It was speeding... Had sped towards the Matou's crotch area. Point first. At very, very high speeds. And we're not talking high groin area, as in more towards the waist. We're talking about the 'danglies' that hung below said groin area.

To put it in layman's terms, Byakuya Matou had just taken a giant splinter to the balls. The pain had to have been excruciating.

The blue-haired man opened his mouth as if to scream, eyes wide open in horror and shock, face paling. However, he did not scream. All that escaped his mouth was a strangled whimper before he fell to the ground, frothing at the mouth.

To compound matters, he realized that the splinter was on fire. And his pants were now on fire as well.

Another rasping whimper of pain and agony welled up in Byakuya's throat. This was really not his day. What did he do to deserve such misfortune?

Fortunately, he was saved from having his nether regions damaged further by a bucket of water that was poured on his pants, extinguishing the fire.

He glanced up to see a suited blond man sheepishly looking down at him, while holding an empty pail in his hands, before everything went dark.

* * *

Naruto looked away from the twitching, frothing man after he had dumped a bunch of water on said man's crotch.

"Er, oops. Didn't expect that to happen." He muttered as he scratched his head lightly, slightly embarrassed by what had just occurred.

He certainly didn't expect that someone would actually be hurt by the explosion. The only way that they would get hurt is if they had been trying to go outside or something. But what idiot would do that in the middle of the night? It was literally midnight, 12:30 AM. Who would be stupid enough to go outside at such a ridiculous hour, there were no convenience stores or anything of the sort anywhere close to the Matou manor... There was no cause to go outside! None!

Naruto sighed. What a dumbass. The alcohol definitely did not aid this guy in his judgement, on the contrary, it probably worsened it.

Incredibly so. Speaking of alcohol, the blue-haired 'man' stunk of the substance. It was actually physically overwhelming, to the point where the blond magus had to fight the urge to stuff tissues in his nose.

He sighed as he re-sealed the pail. While this may be construed as 'collateral damage', Naruto really didn't think so. The house was owned by an enemy Magus. One who was being a complete jerk-face and had done terrible things. As long as combat didn't spill over to the civilian section of the city Naruto was okay with completely demolishing the place.

Saber looked at her master oddly. "Naruto. Why do you have a bucket sealed in that scroll?"

"Why not? I had room. And you never know when you might need a bucket."

"..." The smaller blond sighed and shrugged her black-clad shoulders. "Fair enough, I suppose." She paused. "And was it really necessary to say that phrase?"

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Er... Art is an explosion? No. It was a spur of the moment thing, sorry."

"Please don't do that again. It was... Unusual." Saber sighed as she palmed her face, exasperated by her master's unusual actions.

He could act like such a child at times.

"Yes, mother." Naruto said, in a completely sarcastic and dead-pan tone. "Don't give me that look, you would have kicked the door in if you had your way."

Saber froze and pondered the situation, then sighed. "Very well then. I shall defer to your judgement in this scenario."

"Let's begin then."

"Let's."

* * *

Breaking into Zouken Matou's house had its own set of consequences. As Naruto predicted, the minute he left the 100 meter radius of his home, he was followed by familiars, all belonging to the various masters in the war.

For instance, one Waver Velvet immediately noted his presence, but decided not to antagonize the blond. After all, he would be insane to fight that guy.

It would be best to not mention anything of the matter to his servant. Knowing him, he would probably charge off to Matou mansion in order to get in on the action.

However, in the Hyatt hotel in Fuyuki City, the tallest building, one Kayneth Archibald-El-Melloi made plans to eliminate the largest threat in the war.

"Lancer, you have your orders. Carry them out."

Of course, he wouldn't be going anywhere near that crazy bastard. He could already sense that fighting him head on would be suicide. At least, that was his justification for staying in his hotel room. His fiancee scoffed when he tried to explain his reasoning, but this time Kayneth stood firm.

He was in fact rather fond of living after all.

* * *

Kiritsugu Emiya was also making his preparations to eliminate target number one on his list. As he fiddled with the oversized pistol that he was holding in his right hand, he continued to plot contingencies and back-up plans. Just in case.

* * *

A whisper of shadows was the only indicator of Assassin's march towards the Matou mansion. There was a target, and said target must be eliminated.

* * *

Tokiomi Tohsaka paced the floor of the church he was staying in nervously. Assassin would have to do his job. Assassin would do his job, and then one more opponent in the way of his dream to see the Root would be terminated. How could he fail?

* * *

When a blond man dressed in fancy clothes wearing ridiculously huge golden earrings heard this news, that Naruto and Saber had just blown in the doors of the Matou residence, he paused as he sipped his wine, gave an absolutely huge smirk, and dematerialized in golden particles.

"Hmm. The mongrel continues to interest me. I might as well see what he is up to then. If anything it should be entertaining."

* * *

Another figure dressed in ill-fitting robes paused in his cutting up of an innocent child, before rushing to a crystal ball and weeping at the image presented in the ball.

"She comes. The holy maiden! I must greet her!"

"Yes sir, mister Bluebeard!" Uryū Ryūnosuke said cheerfully, as he twanged on various entrails in a gross parody of a stringed instrument. The person from which said entrails were from groaned weakly on the floor.

"Not you, Ryūnosuke. You can stay here and create more beautiful art. I must greet my holy maiden in person!"

"Okay, mister Bluebeard!" For Ryūnosuke this was fine. Mister Bluebeard was excited, which got him excited, and because he was excited, he was able to create more wonderful art. Mister Bluebeard created more art when he was excited. How fun. The red-haired man grinned a toothy grin, and turned back to the whimpering lump of meat that he was messing with.

"Let's have fun now! Okay?"

* * *

And somewhere in the depths of Kariya's hell, a wizened hunched over man leaned on his cane and smirked a toothy grin, wrinkles sinking and only further exemplifying his ugliness.

"He's arrived then. Let's see what Zelretch's apprentice is made of."

And in the bowels of the gloomy, dark mansion, an old monster laughed. His idiotic 'Nephew' had come through, hadn't he? The laughter reverberated through the corridors of the mansion, through the room in which his familiars squirmed and writhed, into a small bedroom where a tiny purple-haired girl shivered.

"Grandfather's happy..." She muttered. That was not a good sign. Whenever Grandfather was happy, terrible things happened to her, and she had to go into the dark place. She didn't want to go into the dark place.

Just as planned. All the attention was on one figure now.

* * *

The central figure of their focus, Naruto Uzumaki, calmed himself for the coming ordeals.

"Here we go. Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war." He murmured.

**A/N: We're done. Shit is about to hit the fan. Like, really, about to hit the fan.**

**Ended on a cliff-hanger type ending, sorry about that. Just had to end this chapter now, before it could get too out of hand. This was a really short chapter unfortunately. I'll try to make future updates considerably longer, so this should hopefully just be a one time thing.**

**I have in fact found a good site to read manga on. So thank you to all of the people that have sent me links to sites. It was a big help, monumental in fact.**

**I might write another fic if I don't feel like writing Fate:Zero Hour. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to complete this fiction, it's just that sometimes I just don't feel like writing it. Besides, my amount of free-time is about to go up in two-three weeks. That's right, summer is coming, booyah! It's party time, it's party time-**

**Ahem. Because of my impending freedom, I will in fact have more time to write. So, I can probably squeeze another fic in with this one. Just maybe.**

**Speaking of updates, updates for this fic are going to be sporadic in nature. It really depends on how much free time I have, and whether or not I'm in the mood to write. I'm writing for fun, but I'm trying to have some degree of professionalism while doing so. My muse dictates how much I write, and how much I want to write.**

**If you have a concept you want me to write, just send it in. I'll look at it, and I'll see what I can do. No promises though. School is still going on, and finals are looming on the horizon...**

**Once again, if there is an issue with any of my writing, please, please tell me what I'm doing wrong, so that I can promptly revise the mistakes that I have made.**

**Until then, keep reading. Keep writing, if you are writing, and above all else, stay awesome.**

**Rein Hellfire is awaiting his freedom. Summer Vacation! Yeah!**

**Update 1: **

**Thanks to Vandenbz for spotting the typos in the story. Corrected, or tried to get most of the things corrected.**

**Update 2:**

**Holy shit, I'm derping today. Thanks to Serfius for spotting more of my shortcomings. This is why I ask for criticism, so I can correct my mistakes.**

**On a side note... That last scene with Gilgamesh... The unfortunate implications in that sentence were completely un-noticed by me. I didn't realize the hidden meaning until I started reading some reviews and recieved some strange PMs asking if I was changing the pairing. Then I remembered some things about the personality of the King of Heroes, and then played back the actual sentence. What a horrifying idea. That is actually unfortunate... Crap.**


	7. Storming the Fortress (Part Two)

**A/N:**

**Well, that went surprisingly well. Reading the reviews has been very therapeutic for me, it really has.**

**We're definitely keeping the 'Meeting of the Kings' scene. However, this story isn't even at episode eight of the anime yet, so that's going to have to wait for a later chapter.**

**Gilgamesh... Well. I was still kicking myself in the arse for not realizing the unfortunate implications that arise when he takes an interest in something, but now that I look back at it, it would be pretty damn funny to put in an omake, or a Carnival Phantasm version of this story. I should write a Carnival Phantasm style thing, shouldn't I?**

**Finals are essentially over. We're officially beginning summer. And a part time job. And summer school. Joy. Did I mention it's fucking hot outside? Every day it's going to be triple digit weather, because I happen to live in a desert. Fucking hell. The good news is, I get to stay indoors and write more. :-)**

**Not much else to talk about this chapter. I'll get to the disclaimer now, before I run my mouth further.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. This is for all of you legal types out there. I don't want to engage in some sort of legal debate, so I'm just putting this out there. Don't own anything.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

******Spoilers for Chapter: Don't read if you haven't read the chapter yet!********:**

******... Goddammit. Really? Is the Amaterasu thing really irritating my reviewers this much? Apparently, I need to re-word some things. **

******First of all, I am perfectly aware that Jiraya was able to seal Amaterasu (Though I feel like that was a bit of a cop-out: The fire can consume other fire and burn everything... and it gets stopped by a B-ranked seal? Something's wrong here...). However, I feel like I need to clarify some things.**

******The reason why Naruto needs a specialized seal is so that he can release the Amaterasu, and re-seal it safely. The way I see it, Jiraya's seal could only contain Amaterasu, not release it again. Therefore, Naruto needs to make a seal that is capable of releasing the black fire and re-sealing it, while containing it safely, without any hint of breakage.**

******Hopefully that clarifies some things. On with the chapter. **

Chapter Six: Storming the Fortress (Part Two)

"Katsu."

A cracking sound heralded an explosion that blasted another wooden door off of its hinges. Two suited figures, both blond, walked calmly through the smoke.

Naruto scanned the empty hallway, before relaxing slightly. "Clear. There's nothing here."

Saber scowled. "It seems as if the rat has holed himself up in his den of filth."

Naruto shook his head. "He's a tricky one, a real worm." He paused. "Oh hell no."

There were two passages in front of the duo. Two doors leading to two different locations. One was going to the second floor and the other leading to a basement.

The blond servant sighed. "There are two ways that we can proceed. Or so he wants us to think. Don't you watch scary movies, Zouken? You never split up in the creepy mansion. Bad things happen, every single time." Naruto turned to the door that led upstairs. "Let's go, Saber."

"Yes. Of course." Saber glanced at her master. "By the way, what made you choose the upstairs route?"

"Hmm? I felt like it."

A bead of sweat appeared on Saber's brow, anime style.

"You felt like it...?"

A long silence, before Saber hung her head,

The blond servant sighed, and palmed her face with both of her hands. "Naruto, you act too carefree sometimes..."

"Oi, oi! That's mean!"

"Let's go, Naruto. We have business to attend to." And with that, Saber stormed up the staircase, leaving behind her disgruntled master.

"So cold..."

* * *

Meanwhile, the other servants had arrived at the Matou mansion.

Assassin was the first one on the scene, three variants of the servant of silent murder creeping into said mansion. Three male variants, all wearing the iconic white mask, sent by their master Kirei Kotomine. The executor was relaxing at the church, or to be more precise, was trying to relax. To no avail, of course.

Five minutes later, Lancer materialized, and strode confidently into the mansion. For his newly avowed lord, he would eliminate that man that his lord feared.

A while later, a silver-plated bloody knight made its appearance, accompanied by a white-haired woman.

"I can sense other servants here." Irisviel stated quietly.

Avenger harrumphed. "It seems that we're not the only ones present at this debacle. Hmph. Well, it doesn't matter. The more enemies here, the more corpses at the end. Let us go then, Irisviel."

Up on a nearby hillock, Kiritsugu Emiya sighed as he looked at the image of his wife and servant through the scope of his sniper rifle.

"Avenger is being as loud as ever. That's certainly annoying." A burst of static on his radio heralded a message from his companion, Maiya Hisau.

"Kiritsugu. I'm in position."

"Roger that, Maiya. Stay in position until further notice."

"Roger."

The Magus-killer grunted a little and peered through the scope of his rifle once more, scanning for any signs of life in the mansion, and in the area surrounding the mansion.

These servants and masters had all gathered here for one purpose: To kill Naruto Uzumaki. The blond had marked himself as being one of if not the most dangerous masters in the entire war. Going toe to toe against a servant was a serious matter. Especially when it was a Berserker. Add that to the fact that he had unknown, clearly powerful techniques and equipment (A mystic code able to take hits from a Noble Phantasm), and the fact that he was maintaining a servant, but was still able to fight like that...

It really didn't make for a good image.

Naruto was the guy that everybody needed to take out. There was no question about that. Kiritsugu knew now, that Naruto Uzumaki was the real enemy to worry about. He was even more of an enigma than Kirei. He was stronger than Kirei. His servant was also stronger than Kirei's. To put it short, if he didn't eliminate Naruto Uzumaki now, he stood next to no chance of actualizing his dream.

Which is why he was perched on a hill, peering through the scope of a sniper rifle.

The plan was actually quite simple. Avenger and Irisviel would go into the mansion, and flush out Naruto and his servant, Saber. From there, it was simply a matter of getting a good shot off. A bullet to the head would probably kill Kiritsugu's new problem. Failing that...

Kiritsugu looked briefly at an oversized pistol. His mystic code, the Thompson Contender.

Well, there were always back-up plans. It was simply a matter of getting close enough to use them.

* * *

Inside of her bedroom, one Sakura Matou could hear strange noises. The sounds of something being destroyed. Blown up? And then there was a strange person's voice, a lady's, as well as another voice.

It was certainly strange. Was her uncle or grandfather entertaining guests, or something?

The voices increased in volume, as if they were moving to a location that was just outside of her room.

"Naruto, you cannot simply destroy every door with explosive tags. Were you not complaining about how difficult it was to make them in the first place?"

"But Saber-"

"No buts. Using that many explosive tags was completely unnecessary. Besides, I believe that this is the right room anyway. Blowing up more doors would be counterproductive."

A loud, protracted sigh. "Fine, fine. You're no fun."

Something tapped on the door of Sakura's bedroom. A few clicking noises from the lock, before the unknown male lost his patience and kicked the door in.

"Naruto!"

"You said no explosive tags! And I suck at picking locks!"

Sakura stared dumbly at the blond-haired blue-eyed man that had kicked the door in, and again at his blond-haired green-eyed female companion. Both were wearing black suits, and both had a professional air around them. What was she supposed to feel? Was she supposed to feel scared, or something? She had lost the ability to scream three days into her 'training'.

"Sakura Matou?" The male figure asked gently.

Sakura nodded.

"Alright. My name's Naruto Uzumaki. How do you do?"

The tiny purple-haired girl was even more confused. Why did this guy care?

Naruto sighed when he noticed that Sakura wasn't responding at all, instead having a vacant look on her face and in her eyes. That was a look of a person who had lost all hope, who could never hope again. Those eyes belonged to victims of some extreme trauma or horror. And those were eyes that should never have belonged on a child.

Those eyes reminded the blond master of his own eyes, in his own childhood.

He tightened his fists, and swore to make that despicable worm pay for destroying a child's innocence. And he swore to see that little girl safe and sound, away from this creepy mansion.

"Kariya Matou sent me to get you out of here."

"Uncle Kariya? He sent you?"

"Yeah. Are you coming with us?"

Sakura paused. "How do I know that I can trust you?"

The blond frowned. "You really don't. But your uncle sent me to get you out of this hell-hole. I can't promise that I'm telling the truth, but-"

"Alright. I'll go." Sakura said quietly. "But... Grandfather won't let me go. Don't you know? You can't oppose Grandfather."

Naruto kneeled and placed a hand on Sakura's head. "Don't worry about that old worm. We'll get you out of here, and you'll be back with your uncle soon."

"... Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

Sakura nodded, the tiny girl getting up from her bed. Her situation couldn't get shittier, could it? Besides, what did she have to lose? No, she'd go with this man, because he said he was sent by Uncle Kariya, and Uncle Kariya was a good man.

Saber spun around, and donned her dress and armor. "Naruto."

"I know. We have company. Well then... We're leaving."

* * *

The first enemies that the group encountered were Assassins. Servant Assassin.

A blade embedded itself in the wall as Naruto dodged a lunge by a black-clad figure.

"Naruto!" Saber's cried out.

The blond dodged another lunge, before speeding forward and hitting the figure in the chest with the palm of his hand.

A wheezing gurgle emitted from the Assassin, before it toppled to the ground, dead. It dissolved into tiny particles shortly afterwards, leaving behind a small, short tri-pronged knife.

"Something's off. That was Assassin, but Assassin was supposedly killed on the first night. Clearly, something's off about that, hmm?"

"So then, that means…"

"The church isn't a safe place. Assassin was the servant of Kirei Kotomine, and Kirei has sought sanctuary in the church. So, he faked Assassin's death as to draw away suspicion. While I would say that is ingenious, he has given the game away. But why? Why would he reveal that Assassin is still in the realm of the living…"

Naruto froze. "Unless he was sure that there would be no one left alive to know that Assassin was still alive. And seeing as Assassin is clearly not dead, and this one looks different…"

"Assassin has the ability to make copies of himself." Saber concluded. "Similar to how you can make clones of yourself then."

The blond sighed, and picked up the kunai, before re-sheathing it in his sleeve. "Keep your guard up then. Kirei Kotomine, from all reports, is not a stupid man. He wouldn't have sent in just one version of his servant to deal with us, especially after the previous night." The blond then proceeded to grin. "Heh. This is a good thing though… It means that my plan is working. Regardless, our first priority is to get Sakura Matou away from this place."

* * *

Kiritsugu Emiya peered through the scope of his rifle once more, checking every possible avenue of escape, like a true professional. Then again, he was a professional.

"Still no sign…" He muttered under his breath. "It's been thirty minutes since Irisviel and Avenger entered the mansion… What's taking so long?"

Personally, Kiritsugu was curious as to why Naruto Uzumaki was even at the Matou mansion. There was no discernable reason as to why he would go to the place. There was nothing of import, there was in fact no reason for Naruto to risk his life like that.

It really didn't matter in the Magus Killer's eyes, but it was still something to think about. Just why was Naruto Uzumaki here in the first place?

He was shaken out of his thoughts when a new figure materialized, appearing in a shine of golden light.

Archer. Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, dressed in expensive looking modern clothing, extremely shiny golden jewelry, and an extremely arrogant and conceited smirk.

"… Shit." Kiritsugu uttered. "Maiya-"

"I see him. Kiritsugu. What do we do?"

The Magus Killer cursed mentally. He expected other masters and servants to show up, but Archer? While expected, it was still an unwelcome occurrence. Kiritsugu's anxiety was only compounded when the golden servant looked in his direction and smirked haughtily.

_Shit. That guy know that I'm here, and he knows that I know that he knows that I'm here… What do I do, what do I do…_

The Magus Killer breathed a sigh of relief when the servant looked away, clearly uninterested by his presence now.

_Why on earth is that guy here?_

Gilgamesh was highly amused at the sudden anxiety that Kiritsugu was exhibiting when he looked at the master. His presence was annoying, but he thought it funny when he scared the crap out of the Magus Killer. The Magus Killer's reaction brought much amusement to the King of Heroes, indeed it did. Enough to tolerate his annoyance, for now.

Yeah, he's a troll.

The servant pulled out a golden chair from his Gate of Babylon, and sat down, holding a golden cup filled with wine in his right hand. Essentially, acting the part of the indifferent monarch, while he waited for the source of his interest to reveal itself.

"Are you going to entertain me again, mongrel? Regardless, this should prove to be quite interesting… Show me. Show me the power that has drawn my attention."

* * *

"Fuck!" Naruto cursed as he dodged another strike to the stomach, before retaliating with a savage uppercut, hitting the would-be assassin in the jaw and sending him reeling.

A swift knife to the heart ended his life shortly afterwards.

That had been the second attempt on his life since he had entered the mansion. Inwardly, Naruto frowned at the attempts. They seemed...

"Saber. Don't you feel as if something is off?"

"Naruto?"

"Assassin is the master of the silent kill. The knives that that guy used were meant for mid to long range combat. Same with the weapons of the one before him. Don't you think it's odd that he would engage in close combat like that, when he's clearly unsuited for it?"

"Now that you mention it... Do you think that Assassin's master is gathering information?"

"Yeah, that's probably it. He's testing us... Testing the waters so to speak. To see how we would react to these unexpected attacks. The third time will be the determining attack. That's when he'll fight seriously. We had best leave before that happens." Naruto scooped up Sakura, who had been wandering aimlessly about behind the pair. "Alright then, up you go. We're getting out of here, now."

The trio continued trudging their way through the sinister mansion, senses alert for any more confrontations now that Assassin's presence had been noted. Tensions were running at an all time high. Naruto knew better than the rest, the type of things that could lurk in the dark. He had been trained as a Shinobi after all, he used to be an assassin by trade. He knew that the shadows could hide many things, all of them unsavory.

Eventually, the group reached the burned out remnants of the main entrance. Sakura noted the destruction that some explosion had caused. Shattered glass, broken wood, the doors were stuck in the walls and-

"Is that uncle Byakuya?" She asked curiously. "What happened to him?"

Indeed, the blue-haired man was still on the ground, curled in the fetal position. His face was blue and he was frothing slightly at the mouth. The cause of his immediate discomfort was probably the giant 'splinter' of wood stuck in his crotch, that was actually more akin to a fucking stake.

He wasn't in a good way.

"Hmm? Ah, that guy? Er... He was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. And I may have overdid it with the explosions."

"Oh." Sakura wrinkled her nose slightly. "He smells bad. Really bad." Coming from a girl who has spent time in a worm pit, one could imagine just what would smell bad to her.

Naruto paused. "Eugh. He must have crapped himself after getting shot in the balls. That and he's drunk as sin."

Saber sighed. "We might as well leave him here. He seems to be healthy at the very least."

It was just a few more steps to the ruined doorway. A few more steps, and then Sakura and her rescuers could say good-bye to the accursed, twisted mansion. Unfortunately, fate had decided to give our protagonists the middle finger.

Metal rang out, armored boots striking the stone floor.

"I didn't think that I'd see you this soon, Father. What a pleasant surprise."

Naruto bit back a curse. This was the one opponent that he'd really rather not face, and the one person that could potentially derail his plan.

"Avenger." Saber stated coolly. "I should have known..."

"Enough talk, Arthur. Let us settle our differences, once and for all."

Saber scowled, and pointed the tip of her invisible blade at her wayward 'son'. "I do not wish to fight you, Mordred. My priority right now is making sure that that girl is rescued. Step aside, before I force you to step aside."

"We both know what my answer is going to be."

Saber sighed. "Very well then. Naruto-"

"On it, Saber. You can handle Avenger, can't you?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll leave you to it then." He turned to leave, carrying the little purple-haired girl in his arms, before stopping a few feet from the doorway. "Saber. Win."

"Of course, Naruto."

The blond gave his servant a slight nod, before vanishing into the night.

Saber sighed and turned back to her opponent. "You're not going after him?"

Mordred snorted. "No, of course not. My quarrel is with you, Arthur. I care not for a mere human. Now... Let us fight. Let our swords speak rather than our tongues."

"So mote it be."

* * *

Naruto took a deep breath of air as he exited the blasted out remnants of the main entrance of the Matou mansion.

Sakura could scarcely believe it. "This is... This is the outside? Does that mean that..."

"You're free." The blond stated quietly. "I told you, didn't I? You'll be with your Uncle soon."

"But what about..."

"Your 'Grandfather'?" At this, Naruto gained a completely sadistic smirk. "That should be taken care of, shortly."

Line break

When Zouken Matou felt the wards on his mansion go down, he knew that something serious was going on. More so when he saw that strange new upstart master blow his front door to pieces.

Truth be told, he viewed the blond master as nothing more than a slight annoyance, and an opportunity. From what he could glean from his worms, the idiot had made a deal with his idiotic 'nephew'. How foolish.

Apparently, his objective was the rescue of his 'Granddaughter' Sakura. Zouken, the old worm, laughed at this. Apparently, this Naruto Uzumaki was one of those noble, well-intentioned, goody-two-shoed chumps. That meant that he would be easy to manipulate. All he had to do was-

"You know, you disgusted me the first time we met. Did you know that, Zouken-bastard?"

What.

The worm-loving man spun around, to find himself face to face with the object of his plotting, Naruto Uzumaki. The blond man flashed a cheesy grin and made a V symbol with his index and middle fingers on his right hand.

"Yo!"

"How the fu- How did you get in here? You left! I sensed you leaving!" Zouken cried out hysterically, clearly shocked by this turn of events. The fact that he couldn't even sense the blond's presence was truly disturbing. Was it some bastardized form of Presence Concealment or something? Regardless, he had a potential enemy within his inner sanctum now, and that surprised him more than anything.

"Ah, you don't need to know that. Dead men don't need to know just what I'm capable of."

Zouken sneered. "Do you honestly think that you can kill me? You're welcome to try." He blustered, regaining some of his previous bravado. He was basically indestructible, wasn't he? Yeah, as long as his soul was tied to his familiars, he was nigh un-killable by normal means.

Naruto sighed, obviously annoyed. "The problem I have is that you actually did horrible, horrible things to your family. That's unacceptable. Zouken Matou, for the crime of using your kin to advance your own selfish goals, I pass judgement on you. The punishment is death." The blond proceeded to look positively evil, and Zouken had to take a step back at the sheer presence that he was exhibiting. It was absolutely terrifying, like some great predator that had cornered a shivering rat. And said predator was going for the kill. This wasn't intent to kill, it was more like certainty that he would die.

"You... You can't kill me..." Zouken sputtered out. All his bravado was gone, vanished in the presence of such a diabolical being. Naruto, to put it bluntly, wasn't a nice guy, or the easy-going man like Zouken had thought he was.

Naruto, in that moment, was _fucking evil_.

"You know, it's idiots like you that annoy me to no end." Naruto replied calmly. "Ah, why am I even speaking to you? Just die." He pulled out a piece of paper, innocent looking, if not for all of the intricate seal-work on said paper.

"Oh, I know about how you've tied your essence to those familiars." Zouken froze. "Didn't you know though? If all of your familiars die, then you die. And I know for a fact that you haven't transplanted the greater portion of your soul into Sakura or Kariya... Yet. I couldn't feel your disgusting essence in either of them. Meaning that you're stuck here. So, all I have to do is kill all of the worms that are inside the mansion."

"You... You can't do that! It's impossible! You're bluffing!"

"The word 'impossible' isn't in my dictionary. Sorry about that..." And with that, Naruto placed the seal on the floor and channeled a tiny amount of od into it, almost minuscule really.

The tiny piece of paper fizzled slightly.

"What did that-"

It then proceeded to explode into black flame. Pitch black flame, extremely demonic looking, and incredibly hot to the touch. The black hellfire, which consumed all that it touched, be it floorboards, walls... Even the decrepit body of Zouken himself.

The old ancestor of the Matou family proceeded to scream in agony, as he felt his familiars _burn_ and burn. To his horror, he realized that his body wasn't regenerating from the flames, the impossibly black flame was simply burning and burning, consuming all that it touched in its implacable maw.

"Some trivia for how you're going to die. That's Amaterasu, the black flames from hell said to be as hot as the sun. It's unquenchable, and it burns for seven days and seven nights, until whatever it touches has been completely burned to ashes. Complete destruction."

Several more thumps indicated that more of these seals had been set off at various points in the mansion, including the worm pit. Zouken continued screaming in agony as he felt his familiars continue to die, be turned to ashes by this fire of damnation, and those same ashes be reduced to nothing but molecules in the wind.

"You would not believe how difficult it was to get these flames. It was hard, dangerous, and I nearly died fighting the guy that could cast them. Not to mention it was a pain in the ass devising a sealing method that could actually release the flames while containing them safely, and then I couldn't even control them, only contain them. My teacher's seals could only contain Amaterasu, not re-release it, so I had to figure that out from scratch. It was annoying as all hell, but for mass demolition, these tags are ideal. I'm going to have to re-seal them later... Man, that's going to be a pain." Naruto stood up. "Nice meeting you. Sayonara, bastard."

"You-"

"Oh don't worry. The seals that the flames are contained in have automated containment seals. The fire's going to burn in a set area only, before it stops. That set area just happens to be your mansion. Have fun." And with a puff of smoke, the shadow clone vanished, leaving the decrepit old man to die in the conflagration.

Zouken continued screaming as the fire burned. He could still feel parts of him die as his familiars burned, could feel the destruction of his physical body, piece by piece. And to his mounting horror, he realized that he was going to die, he was actually going to die.

"No! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! No!"

In seven days, the mansion would be nothing but ashes and cinders. By the end of the week, one Zouken Matou would be nothing but dust in the wind. All of his hopes and dreams, his plans of immortality, nothing more than a malevolent specter of the past.

A fitting end for he who played with the lives of others and took pleasure out of the suffering of his own family.

Zouken screamed for the first three days. By the fourth day, he stopped screaming, and was reduced to whimpering. By the fifth day, he lost the ability to speak, to talk, to even scream.

He wasn't allowed to die until the seventh day. On the seventh day, he was finally granted the absolution of death.

* * *

Naruto sighed as he received the memories of his shadow clone.

"Yeah, we're going to have to collect those seals... What a pain."

Sakura looked at him questioningly, from where she was walking besides the taller man.

The blond waved away the questioning look. "It's nothing. Just some scum that was just dealt with."

"Oh. Okay."

The golden-haired magus raked a hand through his hair, and mentally gauged the amount of time that had passed. "We should be leaving now. While I am certain that Saber can buy us enough time to get to safety, it would be prudent to get going _now_."

"How do you know that Saber is going to be safe?"

"Because, she's Saber. That's really it. I have faith in her skills. She won't lose."

"Oh. Okay."

Naruto mentally snarled at Sakura's vacant replies. She was so emotionless and empty, and it was really depressing to see that such a tiny girl was so traumatized by her experience with Zouken. It made him feel glad that he knew for a fact that Zouken would be suffering from pain of the highest magnitude for the next week.

It really should have been over by now. There should have been no more conflict. He was outside of the mansion. He had saved Sakura Matou, and he was making his way home. Saber would be following shortly.

Then he saw Lancer, the handsome man standing about ten meters away from him, spears in hand.

Naruto smiled. It seemed as if part two of his plan would be carried out after all.

Part one: Rescue Sakura Matou and kill Zouken Matou, through a smash and grab type entry. In and out, as quickly as possible.

Part two: Undoubtedly there would be other masters that would use this opportunity to take out a very large threat. Therefore, in the process of rescuing Sakura...

Naruto took his hands out of his pockets.

Step two:...

The blond knew that there would be others who would jump on this chance to eliminate him. It was what he himself would have done, after all.

"I'm sorry about this, but my lord has ordered me to eliminate you." Lancer stated apologetically.

Naruto raised a hand. "Don't apologize. Just fight me. Now is not the time of words. Are you going to fight me or not?"

The spear-wielding servant steeled himself. "Very well then. I, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, challenge you, Naruto Uzumaki, to an honorable duel. Do you accept?"

The blond turned to his smaller companion. "Sakura, why don't you go wait over there? I'll be done shortly."

Sakura nodded and moved away from the site of the impending confrontation, sitting on a nearby boulder.

"Well then, it seems that I have to stomp some ass today." Naruto muttered, before smiling. "How exciting."

Lancer shook his head slightly. "If you had trouble fighting Berserker, then I doubt that you would last very long against me were I to go all out. Are you still certain that you wish to fight me?"

Naruto scowled. "Oi, oi. Are you looking down on me?"

"From what I have seen, your speed and strength, while certainly above that of a normal magus and human, is more akin to a lower classed servant's speed and strength. Certainly not anything that could match mine. It is not honorable to face such an outclassed opponent."

The blond grinned even more, confusing the servant of the Lance.

"What is this? Why are you smiling?"

"Ah, so you underestimate me? Good, good... Glad to see that's working. Sorry about this, but your misconceptions about my strength... I'll simply have to break your rigidness. Two things, Lancer. First of all, I had underestimated Berserker. I misjudged his strength, and I paid dearly for it. The second... Did you honestly think that I was going all out on the first night?"

In a distant clearing, far from Zouken's mansion, a set of two clones meditated, gathering in the natural energy of the world. With a puff of smoke, one of the clones vanished.

The blond magus zoomed forth, emerging directly in front of Lancer and taking a fighting stance, much to the servant's shock.

_Fast! He's fast! What in the- he didn't exhibit this kind of speed before! Was he-_

A punch to the stomach blasted the man back, sending him tumbling and rolling for a ten meters, before he righted himself.

_What is this? That's absolutely monstrous!_

"Get up, Lancer. You wanted a duel, didn't you? I'm not going to hold back on you."

Naruto's two part plan went something like this.

Part One: Rescue Sakura Matou and kill the old bastard.

Part Two: Eliminate the other servants that have severely misjudged my capabilities in the process of rescuing Sakura Matou.

Those were his two objectives. The rescuing of an innocent girl, and the elimination of potential enemies. He had finished part one, and was enacting part two right now.

Lancer stood up shakily with a short cough. That one punch had actually done severe damage to his body. It could not be compared to Naruto's previous strength. If Naruto's punches from before could shatter cinderblocks, his current punches were completely capable of pulverizing the cinderblocks, returning them to their base components.

Punches like those _hurt_, even if you were a heroic spirit. Also, Lancer wasn't wearing armor. Therefore, there was absolutely nothing that could have taken the brunt of the blow.

Such speed and strength was completely unexpected. The spear-wielding servant tsked slightly, knowing full well that he had misjudged his enemy and had paid dearly for his mistake.

"It seems that this battle will not be as simple as I had originally thought."

**A/N:**

**Sigh... I tried, guys, I really did. Unfortunately, this was the end result. Another short chapter, sadly. Sorry about that.**

**So, we have Sage Mode come into play. Yeah. Sage Mode does buff speed and strength by a pretty significant margin. At least, that's what the wiki says. It's the difference between hurting a man and killing a man. Pretty large. And as we can see, Sage Mode is a mega-buff for Naruto. Had he used it on the first night, he probably would have been able to fight more evenly with Berserker. It would have been a close thing when you factor Mad Enhancement and Berserker's martial skill into the equation, but Naruto would have beaten Berserker. He wasn't prepared to use Sage Mode, he didn't think he needed it, and he ended up paying dearly for that mistake. Now that he knows though... Hoo boy. We haven't even seen a Rasenshuriken come into play yet... Fingers crossed on that one.**

**Yeah, Zouken's in some deep shit. Amaterasu is nothing to joke about. ****In this fic Zouken hasn't transplanted his heart yet. I think that he hadn't yet in the canon for Fate/Zero, but I could be wrong. If I am, correct me please, but in this fic... Nope.**

**Shameless advertising: I have a forum now for challenges and the like. Go check that out, link's on my profile. If you have any ideas that you'd like to see made into reality, PM me.**

**Arc should be wrapped up in the next couple of chapters. Yay.**

**I'm probably going to be putting this fic on the shelf for a while, simply because I'm frazzled trying to come up with ideas. It's becoming less and less fun really, and I get the feeling that the quality is going downhill. So, I'm going to be focusing on other ideas for now, until my muse comes back. I'm not going to be abandoning or putting this fic on hiatus, it's just a temporary pause so I can regain my bearings.**

**And once again, criticism is really, really appreciated. Like extremely appreciated. It's so that I know whether or not I'm doing something idiotic. I find myself being more stupid than usual lately. So please tell me what I'm doing wrong, and how I can rectify my mistakes.**

**Summer school begins in a week. Fingers crossed. Until then, I have been Rein Hellfire. And this has been Fate:Zero Hour Redux. And I'll see you guys... Next time.**

**Peace out, girl scouts.**

**Update 1:**

**Yes, I did have that scene when Jiraya seals Amaterasu in mind. I knew that you could seal Amaterasu, though I am really surprised no one thought about that sooner. Why? Because Uchiha is OP. I'll shut up and stop ranting now.**

**Update 2: **

**Thank you Serfius. Edited.**


	8. Stat Sheets:

**A/N: **

**Here we are. Stat Sheets for all the servants in the war. I might do something similar for the masters. Might. These will be updated as time goes on, if there are any discrepancies. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Nasuverse. Don't own Naruto. Most of the stats were in fact taken from the Type-Moon wiki, so go check that out when you have the time.**

Stat Sheets:

**Saber:**

Class: Saber

Gender: Female

True Identity: King Arthur (Arturia Pendragon)

Alternate Names: King of Knights, Proud High-Knight King

Master: Naruto Uzumaki

Alignment: Lawful Good

Stats:

Strength: A

Endurance: B

Agility: B

Mana: A

Luck: A+

Noble Phantasm: A++

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: A

Riding: B

Personal Skills:

Charisma: B

Instinct: A

Prana Burst: A

Noble Phantasms:

Excalibur: '_Sword of Promised Victory'_: A++ (Anti-Fortress)

Invisible Air: _'Bounded Field of the Wind King'_: C (Anti-Unit)

Avalon: _'The Ever-distant Utopia'_: EX (Barrier)

**Notes: Not much changed from canon. Saber really lucked out in terms of masters: Naruto's easy to work with compared to some of the other masters, and he's pretty powerful in his own right. Therefore, Saber's stats are exactly how they're supposed to be, they are what they are at the peak of her power. I am using 'Arturia' instead of 'Altria', simply because most of the translations that I've read list her name as 'Arturia'. I've already referred to her as Arturia anyway, so for the sake of consistency... We're sticking with Arturia. **

* * *

**Avenger:**

Class: Avenger

Gender: Female

True Identity: Mordred

Alternate Names: Knight of Treachery

Master: Kiritsugu Emiya

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, borderline Chaotic Evil

Stats:

Strength: B

Endurance: A

Agility: A

Mana: A

Luck: D

Noble Phantasm: A (A+)

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: B

Riding: B

Personal Skills:

Instinct: B

Prana Burst: B

Noble Phantasms:

Clarent Blood Arthur: _'Rebellion Against my Beautiful Father'_: A (A+ when fighting King Arthur) (Anti-Army)

Secret of Pedigree: _'Helmet that Conceals Infidelity'_: B (Anti-Unit)

**Notes: Avenger's stats are pretty much the same as Saber's when she was summoned by Kiritsugu in canon. My reasoning? One: Mordred is a mini-clone of Saber, thus, her stats are going to be the same, or at least similar. Therefore the modifier when summoned by Kiritsugu is also going to be the same because of that. Besides, Mordred is a pretty scary heroic spirit to be facing in battle, and this way, it'll be interesting to see who actually comes out on top in the end.**

* * *

**Lancer:**

Class: Lancer

Gender: Male

True Identity: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne

Alternate Names: Diarmuid of the Love-spot, Diarmuid O'Dyna

Master: Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Stats:

Strength: B

Endurance: C

Agility: A+

Mana: D

Luck: E

Noble Phantasm: B

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: B

Personal Skills:

Eye of the Mind (True): B

Mystic Face: C

Noble Phantasms:

Gae Buidhe: _'Yellow Rose of Mortality'_: B (Anti-Unit)

Gae Dearg: _'Crimson Rose of_ Exorcism': B (Anti-Unit)

**Notes: Not much changed. Nothing really. No external factors... Nothing.**

* * *

**Archer:**

Class: Archer

Gender: Male

True Identity: Gilgamesh

Alternate Names: King of Heroes

Master: Tokiomi Tohsaka

Alignment: Chaotic Good (Really? Fucking doubt it.)

Stats:

Strength: B

Endurance: B

Agility: B

Mana: A

Luck: A

Noble Phantasm: EX

Class Skills:

Independent Action: A

Magic Resistance: C

Personal Skills:

Charisma: A+

Divinity: B (A+)

Golden Rule: A

Noble Phantasms:

Ea: _'Sword of Rupture'_: EX (Anti-World)

Enkidu: _'Chains of Heaven'_: N/A (Anti-Unit)

Gate of Babylon: _'The King's Treasure'_: E-A++ (Anti-Army)

**Notes: And that's our Golden Troll. Really, he is a dick. When I saw the Chaotic Good marker for alignment, I actually laughed. How the fuck was his behavior good? How? Regardless... Gilgamesh is seriously one of the most OP servants, with a fucking _Anti-World_ Noble Phantasm. Who can top that? No one. He's the goddamn King of Heroes. Anyway. His stats are taken from the Type-moon wiki. Nothing changed. It should be noted that the amount of shit that he has in Gate of Babylon is obscene to the point where stats don't really matter: He can crush his opponents under a hail of weapons, if he were so inclined. Fortunately, he's an arrogant douche.**

* * *

**Berserker:**

Class: Berserker

Gender: Male

True Identity: ?

Alternate Names: Black Knight, Knight of the Lake, Mad Dog

Master: Kariya Matou

Alignment: Lawful Mad

Stats:

Strength: A

Endurance: A

Agility: A++

Mana: C

Luck: B

Noble Phantasm: A

Class Skills:

Mad Enhancement: C

Personal Skills:

Eternal Arms Mastership: A+

Magic Resistance: E (D)

Protection of the Fairies: A

Noble Phantasms:

For Someone's Glory: _'Not for One's own Glory'_: B (Anti-Unit)

Knight of Honor: _'A Knight Does not Die with Empty Hands'_: A++ (Anti-Unit)

**Notes: And that's Berserker. All the Nasuverse fans should know who he is, and if you don't... Well, I tried not to give away too many spoilers... He is really an engine of destruction. He's the physically strongest servant in the entire war, so personally, having Naruto actually put up a fight against him... That's pretty amazing. Stat sheet taken straight from the wiki.**

* * *

**Rider:**

Class: Rider

Gender: Male

True Identity: Alexander the Great

Alternate Names: Iskander, Al-Iskander, King of Conquerors

Master: Waver Velvet

Alignment: Neutral Good

Stats:

Strength: B

Endurance: A

Agility: D

Mana: C

Luck: A+

Noble Phantasm: A++

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: D

Riding: A++

Personal Skills:

Charisma: A

Divinity: C

Military Tactics: B

Noble Phantasms:

Ionioi Hetairoi: _'Army of the King'_: EX (Anti-Army)

Gordius Wheel: _'Wheel of Heaven's Authority'_: A+ (Anti-Army)

**Notes: BROSKANDER! Aw yeah! Alexander was one of my more favorite characters in the Fate/Zero anime. He's the definition of the phrase 'Big Ham'. Again, stats taken directly from the wiki. No extenuating circumstances here.**

* * *

**Assassin:**

Class: Assassin

Gender: Varies

True Identity: Hassan-i Sabbah

Alternate Names: Old Man of the Mountain

Master: Kirei Kotomine

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Stats:

Strength: C

Endurance: D

Agility: A

Mana: C

Luck: E

Noble Phantasm: B

Class Skills:

Presence Concealment: A+

Personal Skills:

Expert of many Specializations: A+

Librarian of Stored Knowledge: C

Noble Phantasms:

Zabaniya: _'Delusional Illusion'_: B+ (Anti-Unit)_  
_

Zabaniya: _'Delusional Heartbeat'_: C (Anti-Unit)

**Notes: Stats taken from the wiki. That's really it.**

* * *

**Caster:**

Class: Caster

Gender: Male

True Identity: Gille de Rais

Alternate Names: Bluebeard

Master: Uryū Ryūnosuke

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Stats:

Strength: D

Endurance: E

Agility: D

Mana: C

Luck: E

Noble Phantasm: A+

Class Skills:

Item Construction: N/A

Territory Creation: B

Personal Skills:

Eye for Art: E-

Mental Pollution: A

Noble Phantasms:

Prelati's Spellbook: _'Text of the Sunken Spiral_ City': A+

**Notes: ... Nothing to say here. Stats from the wiki**


	9. Storming the Fortress (Part Three)

**A/N:**

**Holy shit. We're close guys. I can feel it! Are we going to break 200 reviews?! Are we?**

**... Oh wait, we already have.**

**3... 2... 1...**

**TWO HUNDRED REVIEWS! Holy crap.**

**I really did not expect this kind of popularity. Two hundred reviews, over three hundred and eighty favorites and follows, and forty-thousand hits this month... Wow. You guys are... You guys are awesome.**

**It's official. I need to make a win sign.**

**Anyways... Onto some thoughts about the chapter.**

**Truth be told, I wasn't planning on writing for a long time, but a few days ago, my muse just came back. I just had to get these insane ideas out of my head... I had to. It's kind of like a compulsion. An itch, if you will. Therefore... I decided to update!**

**Nothing else to say. Not really. You know what? Let's run the disclaimer. I'm going to be doing my happy dance, because I'm in a good mood right now. Ooh-rah!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. This is an absolute fact, much like the law of Conservation of Mass or Conservation of Energy. It's as absolute as Absolute Zero. Don't own a thing.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Enjoy. Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Seven: Storming the Fortress (Part Three)

Two figures stared one another down, on that night. Silhouetted by the backdrop of a burning mansion, unnatural black flames illuminating the confrontation. These flames that were slowly eating away at the bricks and mortar and supports, reducing all that it touched to ashes and dust in the wind. Two figures, regarding one another warily.

On one side, a man wearing form-fitting clothing, wielding two spears of fine make, one crimson-red and one golden-yellow, both wrapped in cloth that nullified their abilities. The Crimson Rose of Exorcism, and the Yellow Rose of Mortality, both poised to make an attack.

On the other, a tall golden-haired man with eyes that were tinted with an orange pigmentation, wearing a fine, durable suit. His hands were in his pockets, and he was looking like he didn't have a care in the world. Yet, if one looked closely, they could see that this figure was tensed, prepared to receive a blow and deliver a blow. For his laziness was merely a front, a sort of deception really.

Both of these men continued regarding the other, much like two predators or alpha males would regard one another. Waiting, waiting for one to make a move, waiting for the attack. At any given point, spears would swing into action and fists would be thrown.

The spear-wielding man relaxed slightly, readjusting his grip. And in that moment, Naruto struck, blurring forward in speeds that could only be described as super-human. He was fast, too fast, so fast that many beings couldn't even track his speed.

Lancer was not among those beings. He blocked a punch with the shaft of his red spear, and immediately cursed as he was sent skidding back several feet, making a small trench in the dirt of the field.

_This strength is absolutely insane. Where is he getting this from? He didn't exhibit this kind of physical prowess before. Was he really..._

"Damn." He muttered, clearly disturbed by this turn of events. "You really were holding back then."

Naruto smirked.

"Isn't it obvious?" He sighed. "Man, this is a pain though..."

"Still... Even if you have activated some kind of 'Super Mode'... Such a thing is going to have very adverse effects on your body. After all, you are still a mortal."

Naruto tsked slightly, before aiming a kick at Lancer's undefended kneecap, causing the servant to leap back slightly to avoid the blow.

"Really, that depends on your definition of 'mortal'. I don't consider myself a human anymore... No. I'm a demon. And it was your bad luck to fight me. So tell me, Diarmuid of the Lovespot... Can you kill a demon? HUH?"

And with that, Naruto began his assault once again. He charged straight at Lancer, bum-rushing him really.

This time, Lancer was prepared. It was a testament to both of the fighter's martial prowess as they fought, a showcase of their skills and abilities.

Lancer rained blow upon blow onto the suited blond, spears striking out at targets, stabbing and slicing at furious speeds. Such an attack would press a lesser man, if he were not cut to pieces first.

However...

Much to Lancer's shock, Naruto dodged every single one of the strikes in a stunning display of agility and dexterity, sometimes by a mere hairsbreadth.

_Wh... What is this! That's just too fast! How on earth did he get this fast! He's almost as fast as I am!_

Lancer's main advantage was his superior reach. His spears were able to hit the blond magus at a distance, whereas said magus had to close in on his target in order to begin landing hits. And Naruto had just closed the distance that Lancer's spears provided him, nullifying that advantage of 'reach'.

A fist impacted Lancer's stomach area, causing the servant to wince in pain as he was propelled back several meters, before catching himself. Naruto may have been slower, and he may have a shorter attacking distance, but there was one thing that he had, that was really the deciding factor behind this battle.

Strength. Naruto's 'super mode' had boosted his strength to absolutely ridiculous levels. His hitting power was much, much greater than Lancer's to the point where the spear-wielding servant could not get hit again. Even if he was a servant, those kinds of punches and kicks would cause him to fold like a badly constructed house of cards in a strong breeze. Those punches had ruptured internal organs, broken bones, bruised muscles and snapped tendons. The servant had tried to minimize the damage, moving away from the incoming force, in order to receive a glancing hit rather than a direct one, but even then, moderate damage had been caused.

If Naruto could land two or three well-placed strikes on Lancer, he was that much closer to winning this duel.

Lancer winced, and wiped away a trail of blood that was running from the corner of his mouth.

"It seems that I'll have to go all out again. How fortunate. You truly are a worthy foe, master of Saber."

Naruto hummed approvingly. "You're not bad yourself... I underestimated you. I though that you'd go down after the first blow... Impressive damage control... And..." The blond rubbed his forearm gingerly. A long gash could be seen, a spearhead having cut through the sleeve of his suit and scraped its way across Naruto's arm. It wasn't a serious injury, far from it in fact. But, the fact remains...

Lancer had landed a hit on Naruto.

"Hehe... How exciting." Naruto muttered, a bloodthirsty grin making its way onto his face.

Lancer also smiled.

"Very well then. Let's commence round two."

Like before, both warriors had put some distance between their respective opponent after the previous engagement. Similar to the opening stages of the battle, they regarded each other warily, waiting for the smallest opening.

Two strips of cloth fell to the ground, as Lancer released the power his spears, and a rustling of clothing as Naruto took out his sealing scroll. And battle was joined once more, as both combatants rushed each other, weapons in hand.

* * *

The mansion that the Matou family used to own was burning steadily. It wasn't at a fast pace, rather, it was more sedate. Therefore, there was no real danger for the two servants that were fighting in the main hall, as that part of the mansion wasn't on fire yet, and wouldn't be for some time.

It was a battle of swords, of blade against blade, stray hits scraping off armor.

Two knights in shining armor, one red, one blue. The battle was something out of a fairytale.

"Ggh!"

The blood spilled was not.

Avenger cursed angrily as she felt the blade of Saber's sword cut into her leg at the unarmored joint, creating a shallow gash that sheeted blood whenever she moved. Thankfully, the servant of the sword hadn't cut any major arteries or veins, but the wound was still annoying.

And it stung pretty badly.

Saber continued her onslaught, mercilessly hacking away at her 'son'. Avenger was simply defending at this point, for one very important reason.

Her arm was still injured from Lancer's yellow spear of mortality, Gae Buidhe. The spear that dealt wounds that could not heal had essentially crippled the bloody knight's right arm. That stab wound would not fade, unless the spear was broken or the servant that owned the spear killed.

Avenger was essentially fighting one-handed, while wielding a two-handed weapon. From the very beginning it was a one-sided battle.

Yet, despite this unfairness, Avenger was still able to hold her ground, though it was all she could do to defend. A testament to her skill with a blade, that she was able to fight Saber to a standstill while grievously injured in that manner.

All the while, Saber continued raining down blow upon blow, landing precise strikes with all the skill of a seasoned warrior, of one who could be called a knight of knights.

Both of these knights were wearing armor, durable armor at that. Strikes and slashes aimed at the armored parts of the body would be ineffective, unless one were to put their maximum strength into their blow. Therefore, Saber aimed at the less armored places, for while she could strike through the armor and into Avenger's flesh, such an effort would leave her open to a counter-attack, should Avenger survive the strike.

She had no wish to re-enact the battle of Camlann. A mutual kill... That was not a favorable outcome.

Heavy blows rained down upon Avenger's sword, causing the red knight to falter and begin giving ground. It was clear that Saber was clearly the stronger of the pair, and while Avenger may have been faster...

"Hng!"

Because she was only able to utilize one arm... That disadvantage was proving to be too great.

Saber struck out again, and Avenger caught her invisible blade on her own silver one, dead-locking the combatants.

"Avenger. You are clearly injured, and because of your injuries, you stand no chance against me. I ask you to flee. If you would continue, then I shall destroy you without mercy." Saber spoke.

The red knight glared at her foe through her horned helmet.

"Confident as ever, Arthur." She rumbled. "I shall take great pleasure in destroying that confidence."

Saber shook her head and sighed.

"I have no desire to fight you, Mordred. My priority is securing my master and his companion's escape. Your intrusion would have prevented that, so I took it upon myself to battle you. Retreat, Avenger. You are out-matched."

Avenger balked at Saber's words.

"You... You still think me inferior?! Why, father! Why do you love that human wretch so much, so much that you would lower yourself to being a... A sort of guard-dog for him!"

Saber stared into the forbidding helmet, jade-green eyes gazing forward unflinchingly, filled with nothing but steely resolve.

"I chose to fight you, Mordred. Do not think that he orders me around like some pet. That man is... He could have been one of my greatest knights, if he were born in a different era." Saber admitted, a small smile making its way onto her face.

"You... Just what is so great about that man?"

"He possesses something that you do not. He knows what it is to be a ruler."

"... And what on this holy, green earth makes him that much different from me? HUH? FATHER!"

Avenger disengaged from the dead-lock and began attacking, clearly incensed by this affront to her honor, entering an almost berserker-like state.

A heavy strike was deflected by Saber's invisible blade. Avenger's sword embedded itself in the floor of the hall, cutting through said floor rather easily. Avenger pulled the blade out of the ground and pressed onward.

"WHAT MAKES THAT CUR SO SPECIAL!? WHY DO YOU LOVE HIM SO?!"

The sword fell again, in Avenger's attempt to kill her most hated foe, causing Saber to stagger slightly under its sheer force, before she righted herself.

"WHAT DOES HE POSSESS THAT I DON'T!?"

A third and final strike.

"... Why do you love him, and why didn't you love me?"

Saber blinked in surprise. This was unexpected.

"I loved you. You were the perfect knight, the perfect king, my idol and hero. You were the light, and I was the moth. I would have gone to the depths of hell for you. I would have committed a thousand atrocities, slain hundreds of thousands of men, if it meant a kind word, if it meant your recognition. Yet when the time came..."

Avenger sighed, shuddering slightly from the sheer influx of emotion.

"You spurned me. Looked at me, as if I were nothing. Why? I loved you, the perfect king, and yet... Was it because I was the son of that woman? Was it because... Was it..."

Saber closed her eyes, even as she held back Avenger's attempt to strike her down.

"You were my king. All I ever wanted was to be loved by you. You were my hero. All I ever wanted was one kind word, one word of praise, one word of recognition. You were my liege. All I wanted was to serve, in any way. And you are my father. And all I wanted was for you to recognize that fact. I just wanted to touch the light..."

Avenger's helmet fell, splitting in two across the middle and retracting into her armor, as she deactivated one of her noble phantasms. The noble phantasm Secret of Pedigree, the armor that hid her true identity from all that beheld her. The helmet disappeared, revealing that face that was eerily similar to Saber's.

That face, and those eyes, brimming with unshed tears.

"I... I just wanted you to know me. Was that... Too much to ask for? Father... Why didn't you love me? Why do you hate me? Please, tell me!" Avenger begged, tears streaming down her face. "What did I do to wrong you?"

Saber sighed in exhaustion and frustration, exhibiting her inner weariness, before returning to her standard demeanor.

"Mordred... I never hated you. I told you this, didn't I? I never hated you."

"Then... Why didn't you make me your heir! Why didn't you recognize me as your son!"

"... Mordred. What would you have done, as King?"

Avenger blinked in confusion.

"I... That is..."

"Exactly. You do not know. You did not know. And that is one of the reasons why I could not name you my heir. If you could answer these questions, then..."

"You admire that man." Avenger spat out. "When you speak of him, it is with such pride. When you look at him, it is with... With the eyes of someone who is looking at her equal. Why couldn't you look at me with those eyes, speak with me like that? I tried so hard... I..."

The red knight jumped back, putting distance between herself and her 'Father" Her sword began to glow with a crimson light, a bloody splotch of red.

"I HATE YOU! ARTHUR!"

Avenger was releasing her noble phantasm, enraged beyond reasoning.

Saber grimaced and dispelled her Invisible Air, revealing her sword.

The sword of a king. The sword of Promised Victory, shining with the splendor of a thousand won battles. A golden radiance that shone through the night, a golden light that was the prayers and hopes of all of those warriors that had battled throughout history. The dream that they had all strived for. The sword that embodied a wish, forged by beings that were beyond human comprehension. The peerless blade that embodied a mystery, wielded by that King that was by her very existence beyond human comprehension.

The sword that embodied 'Glory'. The sword that was unmistakable, the sword that was recognizable at first sight. Excalibur. The noble phantasm of the servant Saber. The famed blade of the heroic spirit, Arthur Pendragon, once and future king of Britain.

"Mordred... If you are going all-out, then... I'll return that sentiment, as this is a duel now. Therefore... It would go against my pride as a knight, were I to hold back against you."

She lifted her sword in a sort of salute, hefting it with both of her gauntlet-clad hands.

Avenger snarled, lips pulling back and exposing teeth. She lifted her own blade, uncaring for the wound on her right arm. Her only objective was the complete and utter destruction of her foe.

Her sword was a twisted one. It used to be a silver blade, adorned with the most splendid of decorations, a sword of the pious knight. Now however... All of that had changed.

The sword became dyed blood-red. The space around the enraged servant also became dyed blood-red, the blood of all of those whose lives had been taken in the course of Mordred's battles. The blade began giving off hellish noises, which could only be described as 'un-natural' or 'in-human'. And that silver blade transformed.

It was a demonic blade now. It was not a blade of a knight, rather, it was the sword of a butcher. A sinister, insidious, evil blade, that was meant to be wielded by a demon rather than a knight. The blade that was transformed by Mordred's eternal hate, by her endless pits of wanton anger and rage.

Mordred's ultimate noble phantasm, her trump-card.

The servant grasped her demonic blade. The servant howled out the name of her blade, releasing its devastating power, uncaring for the consequences on her body. Utilizing this noble phantasm would mean pain, severe pain across her entire body, rendering her immobile for a short amount of time. But if it were to crush her opponent...

"Clarent Blood Arthur!"

With that, a crimson burst of lightning emitted from the tip of the blade, traveling in a straight path, aimed at the blue knight.

Saber raised her sword above her head, and swung.

"Excalibur."

Golden radiance emitted from her blade, a gleaming light of destruction, emerging as Saber released all of her stored prana to create an attack that was her 'Ultimate Killing Technique'. A beam of light that promised the absolute annihilation of those that were struck by it.

The two attacks met each other, golden radiance striking crimson violence, each vying for dominance. A light-show of the ages.

A battle of Heroic Spirits was a battle of concepts. On one hand, there was the concept of 'Salvation'. On the other, 'Bloody Vengeance'. If one were to factor in the power differences, the differences in ranking, Excalibur should have crushed Clarent Blood Arthur. Excalibur was a weapon forged by the gods. Clarent Blood Arthur, although it is a good weapon, was founded in the dreams of men. Such a difference... It is almost laughable. Had it been any other person, Avenger would have lost.

However, Mordred was fighting King Arthur. Mordred, who was known in life for killing King Arthur. Therefore, Clarent Blood Arthur embodied another concept, which was The concept of 'Slaying the King of Knights' or 'King Arthur will die by this blade'. Much like how a dragon-slaying blade would receive a boost in parameters when the wielder fought a dragon, Clarent Blood Arthur received an increase in strength because the enemy was King Arthur.

Therefore, the attacks continued onwards, surging against each other in a spectacular display of light, with a very dangerous undertone. These noble phantasms were almost certain-kills if one were to struck by them. If one side lost this battle, they would be promptly annihilated. However, that was not to be the case on this night.

Golden and Crimson faded away. Saber had exhausted her stores of Prana. Avenger had as well.

The red knight fell to the ground, completely exhausted, and began convulsing as her body was wracked by nerve-numbing pain. Such was the price for using her noble phantasm, intense pain that rendered her immobile for a short period of time.

The servant of the sword blinked in utter astonishment. To achieve a draw with Excalibur was... Unexpected.

"That was... What was that?"

It may have been a draw, but Saber was no fool. If Avenger hadn't been injured by Lancer..

_I would have had to use Avalon to survive the blast. Avenger could have overpowered Excalibur, and forced me to activate my ultimate defense. To push me to such limits..._

If Avenger was able to use both of her arms, she would not have expended as much energy in the battle. Therefore, she would have had more energy when she utilized her noble phantasm. And seeing as her noble phantasm had tied with Excalibur, that extra amount of Prana could have been the deciding factor in the entire battle.

Saber scowled, and lowered her sword, noticing that her downed opponent was beginning to recover.

"What was that? What was that just now?"

Avenger grinned.

"The embodiment of my hate. Did you feel it? So much hate... I... I hate yo-... No..."

Avenger sighed.

"No. That's not true, is it. Seeing your sword... It brought me back to the better days. The days when I was a true knight, instead of... This. Regardless though... My hatred for you runs deep. But your sword..."

The red knight bowed her head, almost as if she were repenting, or praying.

"It is a... Reminder."

Saber said nothing, merely steeled herself for the coming attack. However, she was moderately startled when Avenger stiffened and looked away.

"Now of all times... What does my master want?"

And with that, Avenger de-materialized in a shower of crimson light, turning her back on the blue servant, green eyes boring into green eyes.

"... We'll fight again. That is a promise. I will seek you out, and I will slay you. Remember that, Father. For your head is the first one that I shall seek."

On that note, Avenger vanished, heeding the call of her master. And Saber relaxed, feeling a sense of tiredness well up within her.

She idly noted that the manor was still burning. Though the black flames hadn't reached the main hall yet, they were coming awfully close.

"... I should be making my departure."

As the servant turned to leave, she began remembering.

A hill of swords. A field of blood. A place of death.

The site of her greatest failure. The place of her loss, the place where her dream had been shattered. And seeing that blade, the red blade brought back those memories, just as seeing Excalibur had allowed Mordred to recall her previous memories.

A single tear trickled down Saber's cheek, before it landed on the floor and promptly dried up.

"... I'm sorry..."

* * *

One Kiritsugu Emiya felt a bead of sweat drip down his brow.

He had just witnessed the impossible. He had just seen something completely improbable occur.

He had witnessed a normal man beat down a heroic spirit. Naruto had defeated Lancer, the spear-wielding servant having retreated after a command by his master.

It had been a battle of the super-human. The field in which the two had been fighting was completely torn up, wrecked and ruined in the combat. Grass ripped up, dirt looking as if it had been plowed, knives, swords, and various other weaponry ranging from needles to a giant metal club were scattered around the torn up dirt and various large boulders had been up-turned.

The combat had been pitched and heated, but in the end, Naruto had won. There were parts where Lancer had the upper hand, but near the end of the battle, Naruto had simply broken Lancer's left knee-cap with an elbow, reducing his mobility.

Kayneth was forced to use another command seal to save his servant's life. To be fair though, the blond fought like a bastard. He set traps, used feints, misdirection, taunts, the environment, basically every single dirty trick in the book, before throwing the book.

To put it simply, he cheated. Heavily.

Lancer cursed and raged throughout the entire 'duel'.

_"What the fuck is this shit! Fight like a man, you bastard!"_

To which Naruto replied,

_"Nope. I'll settle for stomping some ass. I only play fair when I'm in a good mood, and right now I'm pretty ticked off. I was going to play nice, but then you just had to put me in a bad mood when you nearly attacked my charge, even if it was inadvertently."_

The blond looked idly at the location where Lancer had vanished, blood dripping from a stab wound in his shoulder, when Lancer had thrown Gae Dearg at him. He took the hit, because if he didn't the spear would have continued on its course and hit little Sakura in the stomach.

Again, to be fair, Lancer had no idea that Sakura was there. He was simply trying to buy time to come up with a new plan of attack. Unfortunately, he had ended up pissing the blond off. While he was fighting fair (mostly) for the first few minutes of the duel, after he took that spear wound to the shoulder...

The cheating had begun.

The Magus Killer just stared down the scope of his rifle at the man that had taken the number one spot on his list of potential threats.

_He needs to be eliminated. Now. _

It didn't seem like Naruto had noticed his presence. Therefore...

He centered the blond's head in the crosshairs of his rifle.

* * *

Naruto sighed. He didn't really mean to go all out like that, but Lancer had actually gotten on his shit-list with that last-ditch spear throw. The blond knew that the servant of the spear was really just trying to survive, but quite frankly, he didn't give two shits about motives now.

It wasn't a curb-stomp battle. Lancer had gotten some hits in. A gash on Naruto's right leg, bruises on the forearms, where he blocked the shafts of Lancer's spears as to avoid injury, a broken rib, where Lancer had given up on trying to cut Naruto with Gae Buidhe, and had simply began bashing away, hoping to hit something, and the aforementioned stab wound on the shoulder.

Compared to Lancer's injuries though, his were rather light. Lancer had suffered several broken ribs, ruptured organs, a shattered knee-cap, and cuts and bruises on almost every square inch of his body.

Naruto was not in a good mood. Far from it, actually. He still wasn't in a good mood. He didn't think that he'd have to use two of his clones that were storing Mana (Natural Chakra). He'd assumed he'd only need to use one, but ended up needing two. If the battle had continued any longer, Sage Mode might have worn off. And that would have been bad.

Still though, now he knew that he could keep up with servants. By his own estimates, if he had used Sage Mode in the first battle, he wouldn't have been so out-classed by Berserker. It would have been a more even fight. The victor would still be uncertain however, as the black knight was a powerhouse. And Naruto suspected that he wasn't even going all out to begin with...

"... Are you alright?" A quiet voice asked.

Naruto turned to Sakura, smiling his trademark foxy grin.

"Hmm? I'm fine."

Sakura nodded.

"Oh." She replied vacantly. "Okay."

At this statement, Naruto sighed mentally. Burning wasn't good enough for that old worm. Something even more painful had to be administered, because Zouken Matou deserved nothing less, for breaking an innocent girl in that fashion.

And then he remembered what exactly he had done to Zouken and laughed.

_Massive property damage, more specifically, that douchebag's? _Naruto glanced at the torn up field and then at the burning mansion (That was going to be hard for the church to cover up...). _Check._

_Worm dead? Check._

_Girl saved? Check._

_Servants slain? ... Nope._ At this, Naruto scowled. He was hoping that he could eliminate some competition while he was saving Sakura, but Lancer had retreated before he could deliver the finishing blows. Oh well.

A massive explosion erupted from the burning mansion, red and golden light emitting from the rupture before dying out.

Saber had survived, he knew that much. The three command seals on his arm were still there after all.

_Saber should be arriving soon. I'll wait for her to catch up, and then we'll head home._

"You'll be seeing your Uncle Kariya soon, Sakura." The blond smiled. "Soon..."

All of a sudden, Naruto felt something set off his senses, some kind of precognition that gave him a foreboding feeling. All of his senses screamed danger, screamed that his life was in mortal peril.

_Someone's gunning for me._

Acting on pure instinct, Naruto threw himself to the ground, deciding to just go along with his sense of survival. It was fortunate that he did.

Milliseconds after he had thrown himself to the ground, a bullet whizzed by, passing through the space that Naruto's head used to occupy.

_Sniper? Where, where... There!_

_Who could it be... Probably not a servant. Leaving a master... Not Archibald or Tohsaka. They'd never use a gun. Stuffy magi traditions, not to mention they're probably horrendous with technology. Probably not Waver- the kid's timid. I can't see him using a sniper rifle anytime soon. Kotomine is a possibility, but he's an executor, and they fight using those Black Keys... Wait. Emiya. Kiritsugu Emiya. Yes. He's the Magus Killer, and he-_

_The man is proficient in the usage of firearms._

_So, Kiritsugu then?_

"I can see you, you know." Naruto said casually. "You know, quite frankly, I should have expected that. Mr. Magus Killer."

Utter silence. Even the insects had stopped buzzing. Naruto continued talking.

"I'll give you this one warning, before I drop the hammer and begin to administer indiscriminate justice. Go home, Kiritsugu Emiya. I'll let you live for now, since odds are you'd just summon your servant the minute I try to attack you, but if you continue to antagonize me..."

Naruto noticed the rifle's barrel twitch slightly.

"Drop the gun. I'm dead serious right now."

The barrel disappeared.

"That's good."

Naruto didn't attack, because there was really no need for him to attack. Kiritsugu would just summon his servant to his side, and have said servant stall the blond while he made his own escape. It would have been counterproductive to engage in battle. Besides, Naruto's main priority now was to ensure the safe return of Sakura Matou. Eliminating servants was merely a bonus to this entire affair, a side-quest if you would. It wasn't necessary, but it was nice to eliminate competition. However...

_Something tells me... My 'Sixth Sense' tells me if I attack Kiritsugu, I'm going to get more trouble than I anticipated._

* * *

The Magus Killer was on the verge of panicking really, or as close to panicking as he could have gotten. However, he continued thinking and moving logically and precisely, the consummate professional.

_Shit. He knows where I am. That's not good... Get Avenger. Need to contact Avenger._

With a thought, he called for his servant, and took out his mystic code, the Thompson Contender... Just in case the blond decided to attack. Fortunately, it seemed as if that wasn't necessary.

With a flickering of bloody light, Avenger appeared, helmet down, and with several new wounds on her body.

"What is it, _master? What is so important that you needed to call for me?_"

Kiritsugu sighed.

"It's nothing... Nothing, Avenger."

The red knight grunted.

"There will be a reckoning for this, Kiritsugu. I am not your dog. I am not a _tool_ to be used and discarded. Do I have to remind you of this fact?"

The black-haired man grimaced. No, he did not want a re-hash of that particular conversation.

"... I see. I'll be taking my leave now."

As Avenger disappeared, Kiritsugu let his head slump in depression.

"... Why, oh why... Why couldn't I have gotten a more docile servant? This is troublesome..."

* * *

Naruto twitched, the hairs on the back of his neck rising.

"Someone else is watching me. I've really attracted a lot of attention today, haven't I? Well, it was to be expected... Are you going to show yourself? Or are you going to continue skulking in the shadows?"

Naruto tensed when he saw that golden figure step out of the shadows, clapping its hands.

"A very impressive fight. You've interested me, mongrel. Feel proud: not many can claim that they have obtained the king's intrigue."

Gilgamesh. King of heroes.

Naruto tensed when Archer opened a golden portal to his side. The point of a spear could be seen, emerging from the King's treasury. An 'arrow' beyond compare.

_Damn, this is not good. Sage Mode is about to wear off... I guess I'll have to use that..._

The spear sailed through the air, and towards the blond.

The spear sailed by the blond, and struck an Assassin in the chest, killing the servant immediately.

Naruto blinked.

"Unfortunately, you missed a bug. Such misfortune. Well, your misfortune. Take comfort knowing that this king has deigned to give a mongrel such as yourself a helping hand." Gilgamesh paused.

"Though, I truly have to commend you. In this world of trashes and scums, finding one who could have hailed from the most glorious Age of the Gods is quite impressive." He smirked. "How did it feel?"

"Huh?"

"To burn that wretched creature from the face of the earth? How did it feel?"

Naruto pondered that question for a while, before shrugging.

"Fast, easy, short, yet disappointing at the same time. I expected the damn worm to put up more of a fight... Probably, his death was very similar to his performance in bed."

The golden servant laughed raucously. "How entertaining... You continue to amuse me, mongrel."

"... Erm, thanks?"

Gilgamesh smirked.

"How intriguing. Continue to entertain me, mongrel. I'll be watching your progress with vested interest."

And with that, the King of Heroes departed. Naruto sighed, blowing out a breath of relief.

"That was... That could have ended poorly."

Just what were the consequences of attracting the king's notice?

"Regardless... It's been a long night. As soon as Saber arrives-"

As if on cue, Naruto's servant appeared, walking out of the main hall calmly and gracefully. However...

_What's wrong with her? She seems almost... Depressed...?_

"Saber?"

Saber nodded.

"Naruto."

Brief silence, before Saber spoke again, in a haggard voice.

"Let's go home. Naruto."

"... Yeah."

**A/N:**

**We're done here. Phew...**

**Now, I had written about fifteen-thousand words, but I decided to split the chapter into two parts, simply because the latter half was getting shittier, so I had to re-do that...**

**Not to mention, here seemed like a good place to stop, before things got really out of hand. Rambling is not a good thing, not at all.**

**On to the checklist!**

**Worm Killed- Check.**

**Girl Saved- Check.**

**Massive, massive property damage caused to the worm's property: Check**

**Angsty, Epic fight between Mordred and Arturia: I tried. I really tried...**

**Naruto stomping ass: Check.**

**Golden Troll: Check.**

**Yeah. I seem to have made these conditionals, at least in my opinion. Joy.**

**The way I've set things up, Sage Mode would allow Naruto to fight on par with Saber and Berserker. It's one of his trump cards, if you will... It has its weaknesses though... There is a time limit. And something like an origin bullet or weapons from Gate of Babylon will in fact put Naruto out of commission, but if he could fight normal servants normally, he is able to fight the more powerful ones more evenly while utilizing Sage Mode.**

**I have stated before... Mordred's noble phantasm receives a rank-up when fighting King Arthur. Therefore, she's able to tie with Excalibur, and if she were in pristine condition, possibly overwhelm the sword. However, on any other enemy, she would have lost. Badly.**

**Next chapter deals with the aftermath of the assault on Zouken Matou's mansion. It's going to be a chapter of revelations and reunions, of mind-fucking and bad-mouthing. More massive property damage, cover-ups, plotting, and the first casualties of the war. Until then...**

**Criticism is appreciated, as usual. If I'm making a mistake, I want to know about it so I can rectify the issue. So tell me what I'm doing wrong!**

**I have been Rein Hellfire. And this has been Fate/Zero Hour Redux.**

**Peace!**

**Update 1:**

**You hear that thudding noise? That's the sound of my head smashing the wall. I'm angry at myself now... What the hell am I doing...**

**Edited that part about Saber thinking about the consequences of Mordred's noble phantasm. WHAT THE HELL WAS I DOING, WHEN I WROTE THAT SCENE?! Gah! I knew that she had Avalon, so what the hell was I doing?**

**Update 2:**

**And this is why I ask my reviewers to point out all the stupid shit that I've done. Thank you Vandenbz for pointing out several typos and inconsistencies in this chapter. Edited.**


	10. Revival

**A/N:**

**... I hate my life at this point in time. Why do I say this?**

**Well, just a few days ago, I allowed my kid brother to use my laptop. I was just being a good brother. Right? No harm in it, right?**

**Big mistake.**

**The idiot spilled an entire can of coke onto the keyboard, 'accidentally' of course. And if that wasn't bad enough when it wouldn't work anymore, he fucking threw the thing to the ground, like a baby throwing a tantrum. And it was a stone floor, a hard floor. And he _threw_ it, like a wrestler or some muscular dude throwing someone into the floor.**

**HE'S A TEENAGER NOW! He's not a child, for crying out loud! HE'S THIRTEEN!**

**So why in the fiery pits of Tarturus... Why the shit... Why in the hell does he act like such a child?**

**My expensive laptop (Not really, but right now I'm pretty much broke.)? Ruined. Completely totaled. As in absolutely non-functional. As in a rock would work better. The thing's essentially snapped in two, so...**

**Guess who's super-pissed that his computer got ruined? Needless to say, my brother? He's not touching any of my things from now on.**

**I'm using my dad's old desktop to write this A/N right now. I guess this is what I'll be doing for the next few weeks.**

**Unfortunately, the damage has been done. I had written the next chapter of Contradictions, and I had written the next two chapters of this story. Guess what was saved on my computer?**

**And like a complete dumb-ass, I didn't make a backup. Well, not for Contradictions and Chapter Nine.**

**(Insert Explicative here)**

**On the bright side, I did in fact make a backup of Chapter Eight. On the opposite end of the spectrum I'm going to have to rewrite several thousand words of material for Contradictions and Chapter Nine. By memory. Wonderful. That doesn't promise to be a complete pain and annoyance at all! Not at all! (Note my sarcastic tone. It's literally dripping from my words, so thick it became tangible. It's a nice green color.)**

**Even worse news (For me). The rest of my shit that I didn't backup? GONE. As in, completely gone. Luckily, I do backup my computer, but I did that... In January. Meaning that about twenty-five percent of my data is basically gone forever. My gaming data, other projects I was working on, homework... Gone with the wind.**

**I hate my brother so much, I'm becoming inarticulate. Right now, I'm basically at the 'point and grunt' stage. He's hiding from me right now, because he knows that the next time I see him, I'm punching him in the nuts. I'm that angry.**

**... Enough of my depressing circumstances...**

**I noted a very interesting review by a guest reviewer. And to that guest reviewer, I would like to say, both of your points are correct. I was indeed planning on exploring both those trains of thought.**

**There was another review by a guest reviewer. Er... You're a guest, so... I don't know what story you're writing. What story are you writing?**

**A lot of people seemed to enjoy the various fights in the last chapter, apart from the mistakes that pop up in the course of my writing. That was nice to see.**

**I'm running the disclaimer NOW, before I begin venting my frustrations out on people who don't deserve it (You guys). Now, I'm going to go vent my frustrations on people who DO deserve it. (My brother)**

**It's testicle punching time.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. I own... Sithspit, what do I own... I own nothing... (Sob.)**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Nine: Revival

_"Naruto. Why are you so strong? What was the cause behind your desire to become stronger?"_

_"I loved a woman. I wanted to protect her world. That's really all there is to it."_

_"You must have loved her very much."_

_"I valued her life, more so than my own stinking carcass. I loved her, and she loved me. She was my world, my friend, teacher, mother, sister, wife, lover. Alas, some higher power deemed this love not to be."_

_"...My condolences, Naruto. I'm sorry for bringing this topic up."_

_"It's fine. It was a long time ago."_

_"You must miss her."_

_"I have but one regret." Was that tired, weary reply. And in that moment, Naruto transformed, looking more like an old man. World weary, jaded blue eyes replaced the usual lively ones._

_"That's your wish then?"_

_"Even I don't know what it is that I want. It's all so infuriating."_

* * *

One Risei Kotomine sighed and massaged his temples with his fingers.

"What an annoying series of events..."

The cover-up of one Naruto Uzumaki's assault on Zouken Matou's stronghold had not been easy. After all...

How the fuck do you conceal _black fire that burns for an entire week _at_ temperatures that could be found on the sun_?

In the end, the story was, an arsonist had snuck onto the grounds and set fire to the mansion. It had caused a chemical reaction with various compounds that Zouken had stored in his mansion, resulting in said hellish black fire.

It actually sounded believable, and that was all that mattered. Although, in a sense it could be true (Arsonist = Naruto and Chemicals = Worms). Regardless...

"How irritating. And I can sense that this irritating man is going to be the source of many of my headaches in the future..."

Of course, Risei had no idea that this statement was absolutely correct. If he did, he would have stocked up on some migraine medication.

In the church, one Kirei Kotomine twitched in agitation as Assassin made its report.

"Archer killed one of the 'Assassins' then?"

"Yes, master."

Kirei sighed.

"Ah well, there's no use in crying over spilled milk... You're dismissed, Assassin."

"Yes, master."

The Executor began pacing, deep in thought over the newest conundrum.

"Kiritsugu Emiya. Naruto Uzumaki."

You see, Kirei Kotomine was an empty man, really. He had no idea why he would be chosen for something like the War for the Holy Grail, because he had no wish that he wanted fulfilled. He didn't even know what it was that he wanted.

The man was hollow inside, living a life of hollowness.

He was a healthy child, a beautiful child. Yet he did not understand his father's sense of 'beauty'. This was a completely alien concept to Kirei's mind.

He was an executor at the age of ten. Yet he felt no pride from this accomplishment.

Eventually, Kirei realized that he wasn't normal. He didn't conform with the normality of the rest of the world. He simply woke up one day and realized this fact, as he lay sleeplessly in his bed.

He knew that Risei wanted for him to be 'good' but he didn't know what was 'good'. He knew the most cold, logical definition of 'good' was, but his definition did not conform with his father's definition.

He did not love his father, though his father loved him, and he did not know why.

Eventually, Kirei Kotomine tried to correct this 'defect'. He understood that there was something not quite right about his nature, and sought to fix this error, this bug, this mistake. He tried things like starving himself, torturing and bringing physical pain upon himself, lowering himself to the most hellish torments, the most painful experiences. And at the end of all of this, he came to a realization.

Kirei Kotomine was incapable of feeling 'happiness'.

Eventually, he became desperate. He turned to the divine. He became a priest and threw himself into this religion and began preaching fervently, believing that the graces of God would be able to grant him salvation, would allow him to feel what normal people could feel. He was not granted this salvation.

He felt no pain at not being able to experience normal happiness, simply because he had never experienced normal happiness before. He was more concerned about his own existence, and how such a twisted thing like his personality came to be.

Eventually, Kirei Kotomine turned to love. The woman he chose was a sickly woman, a woman with no future. She was terminally ill, you see.

He did not love her. He did not love her, though she loved him. He tried to love her, but could not. It seems like love was too foreign a concept to Kirei, just as happiness and beauty was.

The only thing that he felt was twisted satisfaction, of delight at seeing his wife suffer, and his daughter suffer. He drank deeply from the misery of his wife as she tried to cure her husband's twisted existence, to fix his defect.

Kirei Kotomine delighted in the suffering of others.

When she died in order to prove that he was capable of human feeling, Kirei felt nothing, but regret.

Regret that he was not the one to end his wife's life.

Three years before the start of this Holy Grail War, he discovered these command seals on his arm. The rest is, as they say, history.

When he heard of Kiritsugu's presence, he was excited. Kiritsugu had lived a life like he had, and it seemed that they were very similar in that regard. Then one day, Kiritsugu stopped. He had found his purpose, where Kirei couldn't.

"What drives you, Kiritsugu Emiya? What did you find? What... Is your reason for existence?"

Naruto Uzumaki was an even stranger existence. The man lived a life on the edge, and was ridiculously strong, stronger than a mere human had any right to be. And yet...

"What compels you, Naruto Uzumaki? Just why are you so strong? What drives you..."

Kirei continued pacing, more rapidly.

"I want to know... What did you find, Kiritsugu? And what drives you, Naruto? What did you two find? I want to know... I need to know. Just what is your purpose? Why do you exist?"

What Kirei was really seeking was this 'absolution' that Kiritsugu had been granted.

* * *

Kariya Matou lay on a bed.

That statement is rather shocking. Why?

One has to remember that the man was sleeping on the streets until very recently. In fact, he would still be sleeping on the streets if it hadn't been for a certain event.

Namely, Naruto's shadow clone picking his weakened body up and transporting Kariya to his place of residence.

Apparently, it was to make sure that 'That old fucker doesn't try anything stupid that would cause you to die on me'.

The 'Old fucker' being Zouken, and 'You' being Kariya of course.

So, that's where we find Berserker's master. Safely ensorcelled behind several protective seals that would completely shield him from external influences. Not to the degree of something like Avalon, but enough to ensure that no worm would be able to screw with the worms inside Kariya's body.

And so, Kariya stared at the ceiling, worrying. Worrying about that little girl that he had come to love so dearly.

"Sakura... You're alright, aren't you?"

The crippled man would not be getting much sleep. Not on this night, despite the relative comfort of his current situation, such was his worry. His concerns however, his deepest fears that Sakura would not be saved...

Those would never come to fruition. And that is a good thing.

* * *

Naruto yawned.

"Man, I'm beat. Really need to get some sleep. The minute I get home, I'm going to collapse in my warm, comfortable..."

He trailed off.

"..."

Saber was walking ahead of him, not looking in his direction once. Simply moving onwards, emotionlessly. The very picture of the indifferent king.

And with that, Naruto sighed. Exhaled. He could tell that Saber was shaken by her encounter with Avenger. The fact that she was pulling away, distancing herself...

"That's not a good sign, isn't it." He murmured under his breath, causing the small purple-haired girl on his shoulders to look at him quizzically.

"Hmm?"

"Ah, it's nothing, it's nothing..."

_If Saber is truly disturbed... She'll have to resolve that herself. I can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped._

_I worry though. She seems to have fallen into that bottomless well that is 'despair'._

"Naruto."

"Hmm?"

"In front of us."

The blond grimaced. "Yeah, I see him."

Standing before the trio, on that empty street was a hunched over figure. A strange, fish-eyed man, with dark lanky hair, even dimmer and murkier eyes, eerily pale skin...

The man looked freakish in nature.

Saber twitched, and donned her armor.

"A servant... Now?"

The man was swathed in a dingy, ragged robe. A robe that had dubious stains on it.

Naruto blinked.

"Is that blood?"

And the expression on the man's face was positively unnerving. For this grim, dank figure was grinning, a mad-man's grin. It was similar to one of those grins that a clown or lunatic would smile, a wide, toothy grin. That face was positively beaming with an almost sickening delight.

That was not an expression that a warrior should have on his face before he is to do battle. That shit-eating grin, that was a pedophile's smile.

(Unpleasant thought: Doesn't Caster prefer 'Boyish girls' and 'Girlish Boys'...

Urm... Moving on.)

That smile unnerved Naruto a little bit, before he shook it off.

_I've seen worse._

The man bowed. Knelt, lowering himself to the floor, similar to how a knight or nobleman would.

"I've been waiting for you, my holy maiden. My beautiful and chaste maiden! It is I, your eternal servant and companion!"

The blond servant scowled, anger marring her porcelain features.

"I don't know you."

"Wh... Wh-what? It is I! Gilles de Rais! Your humble knight! Don't you recognize me, Jeanne? I have prayed for your resurrection for ages, years, decades, eons! And... Fate has granted me this miracle! I came here for this sole purpose, Jeanne!"

"... I don't know you. I don't know anybody named Jeanne, and I don't know a 'Gilles de Rais'. I implore you to cease your blathering at once."

The hunched man wept, and pulled at his hair, clearly anguished by Saber's words.

"Oh! Oh, how cruel! Such misfortune! Have your memories not been spared from the ravages of time? Do you not remember poor Gilles de Rais?"

"... Because you have given me your name, in the spirit of that virtuous knight, I shall give mine. My name is Arturia Pendragon. King of Britain. Rightful child of Uther Pendragon. I am not this Jeanne you speak of."

Gilles de Rais seemed more agitated by Saber's statement. More distraught if you will.

"Has your personality... Has that not been spared as well? Oh, wretched me! To think that God would not spare your mind! Oh, heinous fate!"

"Enough. I am servant Saber. And you are- who are you? We already have seven servants in this war- Caster...?"

"These names, Caster, Saber... They don't matter, Jeanne! It's over! You'll be freed soon!"

"Your delusions... They grate on my nerves."

"Jeanne! Wake up! You are that holy maid of Orleans, the savior of France! You are Jeanne D'Arc!"

Saber glared. And with a clanging noise, a split appeared in the pavement, mere inches from Caster's foot, carved by Saber's invisible blade.

"You... Stop blathering nonsense, for I am in no mood for nonsense. I am not this Jeanne you speak of so fervently. Leave. Take your delusions and wiles elsewhere, if you will not fight me in open combat."

"I swear to you, Jeanne. The next time we meet, I will definitely save your soul from the curse of God."

"Leave. Now."

And with that, Caster left.

Saber sighed.

"How irritating. How absolutely annoying."

Naruto grimaced.

"Aye, it seemed to be particularly disturbing, the fervor with which he spoke of his Jeanne. She must have shared an unhealthy resemblance with you, Saber."

"It doesn't matter."

"Though, I do wonder... Why didn't you strike to kill...? If he is in fact Caster, then..."

"Isn't your priority getting Sakura back to our home, safely?"

And with that statement, the blond master slapped his face in annoyance.

"It is."

"Also, I got the feeling that killing Caster would be like trying to kill a cockroach. It would have been trickier than expected..."

Naruto grimaced. "Ah, so you got that feeling as well."

"In any case, the next time we meet, I will not be as lenient. Listening to that nonsensical babble..."

_I can't really... Recall anything about a 'Gilles de Rais', but I don't think that he was a 'good' man._

_The man 'stank' of blood. Blood and decay, and death and pain. And it was recent as well._

_That man... What a disgusting being._

Naruto glanced at Saber, noting that after venting some of her frustration, the blond servant seemed to be in a slightly better mood.

_At least she's talking to me again._

_I worry though._

The trio continued. One on the shoulders of another, and one accompanying another. Through the quiet night, and the dark streets of Fuyuki.

* * *

"Sakura!"

A hobbling Kariya Matou staggered over to his 'niece' and hugged her.

"Uncle Kariya..."

Naruto watched this touching scene, with a smile on his lips, a small smile that was almost unnoticeable.

This scene... it brought him happiness, and some measure of satisfaction. Because, it was proof.

Proof that maybe, just maybe...

Maybe he wasn't such a terrible excuse for a human being after all.

And it was proof that even after a career of murdering and pillaging, somehow he could allow others to have some measure of happiness.

He'd let these two enjoy this moment. Because, in the near future, these peaceful lulls would become a rarity.

War was on the horizon after all.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto assessed Kariya's overall condition. He was not pleased with what he had found.

"Shattered spine, roasted nerves, some brain damage... Good grief. Not to mention, the left side of your face is essentially destroyed, and don't get me started on the rest of your body. All of this was caused by those disgusting worms?"

Kariya grimaced.

"Yeah... Not one of my better decisions, but I had to do it, because-"

Naruto sighed.

"I know why you had to do what you did, and I respect you for that. Not many men these days... A lot of people wouldn't have gone to the lengths that you did."

"Would you have? Sold yourself to the devil?"

"... That's irrelevant." Naruto pursed his lips and tapped his chin with a finger. "Now... The question is, how in the hell do I fix you?"

Kariya froze.

"I don't have any seals that can _heal..._ Or I do, but they're not strong enough. And then there's the matter of those disgusting creatures inside you. Hmm..."

"Wa-wait. Why are you helping me?"

"Hmm? Why not?"

"I could just turn on you, you know. I could kill you."

Naruto laughed.

"You don't seem like the type of guy who would do such a thing. I can judge a man's character you know, and I can tell you this, Kariya Matou- You're not a bad guy. Besides, I have my own motives for helping you. I'm not just doing this out of kindness."

Kariya was silent. Then...

"What do you want then."

Naruto fixed his piercing blue eyes on Kariya's own mismatched gray and light-blue orbs.

"An alliance. I want you, Kariya Matou, to aid me in this Holy Grail War."

"As a tool?"

"No, as a partner. I'm not in the business of seeing people as tools. People are people, weapons are weapons. That's really all there is to it."

"Heh." Kariya chuckled. "I don't really want that stupid cup anymore. I've already been given what I wanted, so I'm content... Ah, for the first time in this entire affair, I'm happy."

"I'm serious though, I want you as a partner."

"... I still don't know why you'd want such a weak guy to work with you."

The blond snorted. "Weak? As if. I can sense steel within your make-up, tempered steel. And from what I have witnessed, you, Kariya Matou... You are a man of great character and willpower. Not to mention, even without those disgusting things inside you... You are a 'magus' of considerable power. You'd probably be able to sustain a servant without those worms. No... You're not really all that weak compared to some of the idiots that I've seen."

"... Thanks?"

Naruto busied himself, fiddling with a scroll that he had summoned, while that gray-haired pondered, before shrugging.

"I owe you... For Sakura. Thank you." He replied, at length. "Because you saved Sakura- I'll work with you for now. But, if you do anything-"

"Don't worry. I won't hurt her. You have my word."

"Only your word? How do I know that you won't go back on that promise?"

"You don't."

Kariya sighed.

"You know... I'm grateful to you. For killing that old fucker, and for saving that girl..." He trailed off. "... I'll agree to this alliance. On one condition."

"Oh? Name it."

"What do you know about Tokiomi Tohsaka?"

* * *

Saber and Sakura looked up, as the door opened and a blond spiky head of hair poked through the door.

"Saber? I need to borrow something from you."

The blond servant put down the cup of tea she was sipping from and stood.

"What do you require?"

"The sheath heals any and all wounds."

Saber stiffened and turned towards her companion mechanically.

"Is there no other course of action?"

Naruto shook his head slowly.

"Very well then."

* * *

"Achoo!" Sakura sneezed, as another set of worms dribbled down her nose, trailing that disgusting mucus down her upper lip.

Naruto sighed, as he wiped said worms away with a paper towel. "That's quite the explosion, little missy."

"Ah, I'm sorry."

"... Oi, don't apologize. It's fine." With that statement, Naruto turned back to his erstwhile patient, one white-haired, scuffed up and badly injured master of Berserker. And with a grimace, he looked at the objects that he had just taken out of Kariya's body.

A bucket full of dead crest-worms, the last of Zouken Matou's vile familiars.

Removing Zouken's vile influence had been a very time-consuming experience for our protagonist. First, one had to kill the worms. All of them, not a single one could be allowed to live. Then, one had to find a way to get the worms out of their host's body, without killing the host.

It had taken Naruto the better part of three hours to accomplish this task. However, it was necessary, for as long as the worms remained in Kariya's body, the poor man could not be healed, or he would be healed, except with serious, potentially life-threatening complications that arise when one has a mass of dead tissue embedded in their body.

But, Naruto had accomplished this task, amazingly enough, through a liberal use of space/time techniques, drugs, blades of wind, seals, much cursing and various sharp implements.

The man wasn't a qualified doctor. However, he did an okay job. Or, I think he did an okay job...

Of course, Kariya was essentially comatose during this operation. If he were awake, he would have screamed his throat hoarse from the sheer pain and agony of having several hundred blood-sucking worms forcibly removed from his system.

However, now that the worms had been removed, the healing could begin.

Naruto took out an object, wrapped in some cloth, and unraveled its covering, exposing that exquisite sheath.

Avalon, the sheath of King Arthur. That glorious scabbard, which seemed completely out of place in the room, simply because it was too beautiful.

The sheath could heal fatal wounds, even generate organs. Therefore, in order to heal the grievous injuries that Kariya had suffered, its usage was required.

Naruto placed the blue-gold scabbard on the frail man's chest, which was steadily expanding and contracting from his relaxed breathing. And the blond man watched as the scabbard dissolved into golden particles, which then sunk into Kariya's body.

The healing would take time. Of course it would take time. Damage of this kind was not something that could be healed immediately. But Kariya would be healed.

Kariya would be healed.

* * *

And so, Naruto, Kariya and Saber began their devious plotting...

Ah, screw it. They just sat down around a gable and had some beverages.

"... Milk?" The (Former) Gray-haired man muttered, as he examined the white liquid.

"It's good for you. Calcium builds up stronger bones. And lord knows, you'll need it."

"Thanks. Just how did you get good at this sort of thing, anyways? I didn't really peg you as a doctor."

Naruto instantly grew more somber. "I'm not a good healer. I can't even perform any healing techniques, other than some basic ones, and even then I have to use my specialized branch of magecraft in order to do so. Just know that... I'm not a doctor or a medic. Truth be told, there were in fact times when I completely doubted my own pathetic skills. Besides, I was merely performing an extraction."

"Extraction?"

"I cut you open, took out the worms, and stitched you back together with Avalon."

Kariya winced.

"Even so... That has to require an intimate knowledge of how the body functions. How did you gain that knowledge?"

Naruto closed his eyes.

"My line of work required it. That's all I'm saying."

Naruto had killed people. That's how he learned how the body functions, because in order to kill more efficiently, some knowledge of basic anatomy was required.

The unsaid words were, 'I'm a murderer, which is why I know this knowledge.'

It wasn't something that he wanted to say out loud, because he wasn't proud about that specific aspect of his life.

Yet, he didn't deny it.

And with that statement, the conversation ground to a halt.

"..." Saber said nothing, merely stared at the table, in deep contemplation.

Kariya also didn't say a thing, merely squinted his gray eyes and attempted to divine the unspoken statements, tried to know what the blond was thinking.

Eventually, Saber broke the tension.

"Kariya. You are the master of Berserker, correct?"

"Yes, Berserker is my servant."

"If we are to be allies..." The servant narrowed her eyes. "... Then it would be prudent, no... It would be for the best if you were to tell us your servant's identity."

"Trust must be given, before it can be earned?" Kariya sighed in dejection.

"Yes. That's correct."

"If that's all you want. Supposedly, the artifact that I used to summon Berserker was a piece of armor, wielded by one of the most infamous knights that had ever lived. I believe that you know him well."

"... No. Was he of my Round Table?"

"The best and the most loyal, until his betrayal. The Knight of the Lake, the peerless knight..."

"... No. You can't have-!"

"Lancelot du Lac. Sir Lancelot of the Lake."

Saber slumped in her seat, clearly shocked by this unpleasant revelation.

"... Lancelot. He was summoned as Berserker? Why? Why...?"

She straightened, resolved herself.

"I need to see him. I have to see him."

Naruto shook his head.

"That's going to be a challenge then. Even with those prana-boosting worms in his body, it was a strain on Kariya's body to maintain Berserker's form. If he were to materialize Berserker now, he'd kill himself from trying to supply prana to the servant."

The blond paused. "However... There is a way to reduce the cost... Mad Enhancement, Berserker's class ability. Mad Enhancement increases the basic stats of a servant, the extent is determined by its rank, but in return, means that the servant consumes an absurd amount of prana. Now, if one could turn Mad Enhancement off, then the prana upkeep would probably become much more manageable."

"Hold on- You can turn Mad Enhancement off?"

"Yeah. If you utilize a command seal to do so, that is. And then, you have to use another command seal to turn it on again, which is why no one has done so before- It was a waste of command seals, and if you didn't word the command correctly..."

"I see. But, if I were to word my request in the most specific terms, then..."

"Then, depending on Mad Enhancement's ranking, your quality as a magus and the wording of the command, you should be able to turn the ability off."

"I see. And is this necessary?"

"Of course. Unless you want to die in agony, as all of your energy is stripped from you. That's not a pleasant way to go."

Saber interjected. "It is decided then? We will be restoring Lancelot to sanity?"

"Of course. Now, how to go about doing this without killing Kariya..."

And so, these three figures continued debating and talking amongst themselves. And that was how another day in the Fourth Holy Grail War began.

It would be a memorable occurrence.

**A/N:**

**Well. That was...**

**I didn't enjoy writing this chapter, but at the same time, I couldn't STOP writing. My muse is a cruel, cruel master/mistress...**

**Regardless, we have finished this chapter! Hallelujah!**

**Now, about Mad Enhancement... For the purpose of the story and plot that I have devised, I have to make it so that the thing can be turned off. Of course, that then brings up the question: If Mad Enhancement can be turned off, why wouldn't the previous masters of Berserker do so?**

**Therefore, I made it so that it required at least one command seal to do so. One to turn the blasted thing off, and another to turn it back on again. And because no one wants to waste command seals unnecessarily, no one would turn it off. And because no one turned it off...**

**I don't even know for sure if Mad Enhancement can be turned off, because I have found no information indicating that it can/cannot, or if I did, then I've forgotten about it. But I'm pretty sure that a command seal can do so. Pretty sure... of course, you'd have to word the command very specifically, otherwise it wouldn't take.**

**Nasu isn't very specific about some things, but I can't hate on the guy. He's created an entire universe, essentially. And it's a very comprehensive universe.**

**Ahem...**

**Future chapters are going to be delayed, sadly. My poor electronics...**

**Fukou Da. Just... Fukou Da.**

**Next chapter deals with a sane Berserker, serial killers, a Big Ham, and corrupt priests. Hopefully I didn't do such a shitty job with this chapter, but we shall see. We shall see...**

**Once again, if I've done anything that defies in-verse lore, please tell me. Just, if I'm completely dropping the ball, tell me so I can do some editing.**

**Now, I'm going to be reading my textbooks. School sucks. Summer School really sucks...**

**Did I miss anything? No? Well then...**

**I'm going to be going now.**

**See you all next time.**

**Peace!**


	11. Redemption

**A/N:**

**Testicle punching was successful...**

**Nihihihihi!**

**Maybe I got into a little trouble (A lot of trouble), but it was worth it. I avenged my precious electronics.**

**... Okay, it was petty, but I'm a vindictive guy sometimes. I try not to get angry and usually I don't get angry, but that snot-nosed brat just set me off.**

**Dumb kids. Goddammit, now I sound like a crotchety old geezer.**

**I noticed that there were a lot more guest reviewers this time around. Okay...?**

**Several people pointed out one crucial fact about Mad Enhancement. Apparently, Mad Enhancement starts off, or there is evidence to indicate that it starts off. I completely forgot about that... The point I was trying to make though, was turning it off after it's been turned on. While interesting to know that it starts off... The problem is turning it off (Forcibly) after it's been turned on.**

**Someone also mentioned a loophole with the system that I've set up. If you were to word the command something like, "Regain your sanity until I say (insert certain phrase here), and only the person saying (insert certain phrase here) is me. And if I say (insert certain phrase here), fall back into madness, until I say (insert second phrase here)," then you don't really have to waste two command seals. Er... That's a slight oversight on my part, so... sorry.**

**I did in fact recover my hard drive. So, that's some good news.**

**Ahem...**

**On a side note, this chapter has been completely redone. I tried to redo it by memory. After a certain point though, I just decided to say 'Fuck it. This is too damn annoying.' And I proceeded to write it from scratch. I still had my hard-copy notes anyways, so wasn't a completely unworkable solution.**

**You know what? I'm going to run the disclaimer now, before I continue running my mouth.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. I don't. Hell, all of you guys that are reading are free to make your own version of this story, because I don't own a thing apparently. Whoo!**

**Seriously though, don't own anything. This was written because I was bored and had nothing else to do during spring break. I obtain absolutely no monetary gain from this work of fiction.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Nine: Redemption

_A knight shines on the battlefield._

_A knight is a paragon of justice, a symbol of all that is good in the world._

_A knight is a hero._

_A Shinobi lurks in darkness._

_A Shinobi is to be despised, the cold and dark assassin._

_A Shinobi is a villain._

_These two have never met. These two should have never met. If they were to meet, they should have hated each other on first sight._

_Yet, even as the knight grudgingly admires the assassin's professionalism and ruthlessness, the assassin regretfully recalls a better time, with brighter wishes. The assassin remembers that he too, wanted to be a knight. _

_How is it, that in the case of these two warriors, around which our tale is based... How is it, that they could work together?_

_It is because they shared a common belief. _

_They were both born from sacrifice._

* * *

A blond man blew out a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for the coming tribulations, gazing at the steadily climbing sun.

"Alright- Do it."

One black-haired, gray-eyed man, Kariya Matou, nervously nodded. He was donned in his old clothes (Naruto hadn't found anything that could fit him, so he was stuck wearing the same things for now), that had been cleaned up. He was whole: There was no sign that he had ever been crippled by the crest worms.

Avalon was truly an existence beyond compare.

Saber nodded, curtly. She was garbed in her armor, and she had her trusty blade in hand, concealed behind a curtain of wind that served to completely obscure the blade, preventing any onlookers from divining its identity.

Not that it would matter, as there were no onlookers here. Naruto's house had a dojo, and that was where they were all situated. Normally, the blond would spar with his servant within the building. Normally. Today, however, it would be put to a different use.

The dojo was where Kariya was going to summon his mad servant, Berserker.

The man laughed nervously.

"Alright then. Here I go."

He cleared his throat and began speaking to the air. More importantly, he began speaking to the dematerialized form of his servant.

"By the power of this command spell: Berserker, I command you to dispel your Mad Enhancement completely. You will not turn Mad Enhancement on again, unless I speak the phrase: "Quicken thy madness". I must be the one to speak this phrase, no one else. After you have done so, appear before me and my allies."

On Kariya's arm, the seals glowed, before a segment vanished completely, signifying the use of one of those 'Ultimate Commands'.

Surely, that would be enough. It seemed worded properly, and there seemed to be no loopholes. It wasn't really a long, drawn out command as well: It was more like flicking the switch on a light. The command would switch the light off, and after a set phrase was given, it would switch it back on.

With a burst of black mist, that strange armored figure appeared. Naruto tried to divine its statistics using his master's insight, but was unable to do so.

"That's definitely got to be a noble phantasm..." He mused. "That, or a personal skill. At this point, I don't know..."

He quickly glanced over in Kariya's direction. The man didn't seem to be keeling over from exhaustion, so the seal must have taken. It better have taken.

The three tensed when Berserker took a step towards Saber, a clink of metal on wood resonating through the dojo.

"... Well, shit. This isn't good..."

Another step. Another, each footfall seeming like a tremendous crash, each step that the armored figure took seeming like the step of an oncoming executioner.

The black knight continued moving forwards, before it stopped about a meter from Saber. It simply stood, seeming more like a statue. An unnatural statue, but a statue nonetheless.

Then, the figure kneeled, and Naruto watched the ever-present black cloud that obscured this figure vanish, revealing gleaming ebony armor. The armor of a peerless knight.

The figure continued kneeling, prostrating itself in front of the blue-clad knight, who trembled slightly.

"... Lancelot." Saber called imperiously, looking the part of the regal king, though if one were to look closer, they could see that she was restraining her emotions, suppressing them to the point of nonexistence, in order to prevent herself from breaking down completely. "Remove your helm."

And with that statement, the black knight raised two gauntlet-clad hands to his forbidding helmet, and took it off.

And for the first time in ages, after countless years had passed, Lancelot du Lac slowly raised his head and met the eyes of his king.

"Yes, my Lord."

* * *

Piercing jade eyes stared at a mop of purple hair. This gaze was so piercing, it was as if the one who was staring was attempting to bore a hole through the black knight's head with sheer force of will.

After licking dry lips, Saber spoke in a seemingly bland and unwavering tone. However, there was a tremulous undertone, revealing her turbulent feelings.

"... Why. Why? Why did you... Take on the role of the maddened one? Why did you... Why?"

"..." Lancelot remained quiet.

"I need to know... Why! And... Why did you attack me, on that night? Do you hate me so much, my friend?" Saber cried out, clearly distraught and saddened.

Lancelot sighed. Bowed his head, from where he knelt. And spoke, in a quiet voice...

"I wanted you to punish me, on that day."

Saber's froze, freezing in a rictus of shock and realization, horror and sudden depression.

"Maybe, if you had punished me, on that day... Maybe, one day, I could have found redemption. As it stands, however..."

Lancelot's words rang in Saber' ears.

Yet another proof of her failure as a ruler. Because, if she had acted correctly...

_Then this would never have happened. Lancelot would not have been dragged to the pits of hell, if he were to have died with his honor intact-!_

_Because he shared my ideal, but could not follow through, he wallowed for years in hatred for himself and the deepest regret._

And this knight had, even in death, not been able to obtain salvation. He had blamed himself deeply for having betrayed one of his most important people, and the burden of this self-blame had been carried until his demise.

_... I could never make the right decisions. I was a terrible ruler._

_I was a terrible ruler to let my subjects, my loyal knights, suffer like that._

"... My only wish, now that I have been forcibly removed from my madness... My only wish, is to die by your hands now. Maybe, if I were to seek death, like the honorable knight, I could attain some measure of salvation. What a selfish dream..."

_No. You were not selfish! One lapse of judgement on your part, one error... That does not overturn your entire character! Just because you have sinned once, that does not brand you a sinner, not when you have sacrificed so much for my dream!_

"Lancelot... You..."

The black knight bowed his head further, exposing his neck.

"Kill me now, Arthur. Please."

Such misery, such torment...

How could she have been unaware of this?

And once again, those words reverberated in her mind.

_King Arthur cannot understand human emotion._

Saber hefted her blade, lifting it in her hands, raising the invisible blade above her head.

And Berserker closed his eyes.

It was for the best. Because, all he wanted to do was serve his king. But... It seemed like he loved the queen more than the king. And he hated himself, for abandoning the king.

He hated himself for sinning, for committing an unforgivable crime.

He hated himself for killing his brother knights.

He hated himself, because he could not be at his king's side, at that final battle.

And he hated himself, because the king did not give him punishment when he clearly deserved punishment.

Lancelot of the Lake awaited his death, with a calmness that could be likened to the stillness of that same body of water, on a quiet morning.

The King of Knights released a wordless cry, of anger and sorrow.

The sword fell.

And the ground in front of the black knight was cut, stabbed by Saber's blade.

Saber panted, not from exertion but from anguish and rage, sorrow and depression. And she rested on the pommel of her blade, and stared at the figure of her most trusted comrade. Her most loyal servant. Her most trusted knight.

"... You... Were a loyal knight. Lancelot."

"What?"

"You were a loyal knight! You were not a criminal! You weren't a sinner! The sincerity you devoted to the country, the King, why can't you see that!" Saber sobbed. "You were not at fault, Lancelot!"

"My lord..."

"Why can't you see, that you have never brought shame to my name? You have never betrayed me... Ah, I remember. You couldn't understand, no, I couldn't understand. 'King Arthur cannot understand the feelings of others' after all. I forgive you, Lancelot. And I will continue forgiving you. Because a thousand lifetimes aren't enough for me to repay my mistake, my crime against you..."

Saber slumped to her knees in despair, leaning onto her sword for support.

"... I... I... This is... I was a terrible king. And you, Lancelot... You were too good a knight."

Silence. Until...

Lancelot sighed.

"You forgave me... And you have... These words..."

"It is as I said... In my opinion, you were-"

"I was a loyal knight? Even if you say those words, I still believe that I... I could not match your excellence."

"... I am not a good king, Lancelot. I'm... Words cannot describe, how much I regret what happened to you, to Guinivere, to Gawain, Galahad, Percival, Kay, Palamedes, Gareth... Mordred... What happened to our country... I regret it all. And, it was my fault. I led you. I inspired you, yet... I never bothered to understand you. I'm sorry. Please... Please, try to understand the feelings that I am attempting to convey..."

Maybe, that was what Lancelot needed to hear from his beloved king. Maybe, that was what needed to be said.

'You were a loyal knight. I forgive your transgressions. I'm sorry.'

"You were never a bad king, Arthur."

"... What?"

"We followed your dream, because we believed in it. We believed in you, the king of Promised Victory, the undefeated King of the End, the Once and Future King of our Holy Britain. All of us believed in you. All of us looked up to you, as the indomitable monarch, the austere and stately ruler, the flawless and most perfect knight. The best of us all, the wisest and most talented. The king that all kings should emulate. Arthur, we loved you. And because we wanted your dream, wanted your peace... We followed you. We trusted you. And we lamented our perceived shortcomings, because... You were perfect. And human beings cannot be perfect. When we could not meet with what we perceived to be your standards, we wept with sorrow, having failed our most beloved king."

He took a breath, and continued his monologue.

"All we ever wanted, was to be loyal. All we wanted, was to serve. Because, all of your knights loved you. And to spit upon your magnificence... That was truly, a disgusting crime."

Saber balked. Those words... They eerily echoed Mordred's words. Was this how her knights felt? And... Did she misinterpret their feelings?

Lancelot sighed again, in melancholy and sorrow.

"Maybe, it was too much to ask. That you understand the people. How could we ask that of the perfect king? How could we hope to understand his magnificence? We couldn't. I tried to blame you, but found that you were blameless. And so, I blamed myself for my transgressions... And I descended into the escape that is madness. I do not blame you, for what happened to me. I have tried to, but found that I could not."

"... Do you forgive me. For what had happened?"

"Why are you asking me for your forgiveness, when it is I who should have done so? And for that matter, I am truly flattered and shocked that you would still consider me a loyal knight. Arthur."

"..."

"Are you going to kill me now?"

"Lancelot. Your death, has no use. No... Your death... I cannot allow this. I cannot kill one of my most beloved knights. I cannot...! I can't!"

That was proof that Saber was still human. That she could not bring herself to kill one of her most trusted and beloved friends... A truly empty and emotionless king would have done so. Saber was still human.

"If you would not kill me, then what would you have me do?

Lancelot twitched in slight agitation, before calming himself. After all, even if he had been forgiven-

"... Serve me. Lancelot. If you truly wish to earn your redemption, then... Pledge your loyalty to me." Saber spoke, quietly. "If you have no use for your life, then I shall take it. Your life, that is. And if you want to earn your salvation, regain your honor..."

The purple-haired servant froze, before bowing his head once again.

"Ah... Is this..."

That was why he agreed to follow this king.

King Arthur's kingship was based on Salvation.

And, to see this King, attempting to understand her subjects...

"Why do you say this, Arthur?"

"Because I want to save you."

That was why. To follow that King of victory, that hallowed king who had won a thousand battles. To exult in that king's ideals, to share that common dream of utopia.

Even if it was a flawed goal, it was still a good goal. And to serve his king again...

Invisible Air was dispelled.

"I would ask you to kneel, but, you already are. How fortunate." Saber cleared her throat.

"Lancelot du Lac. Wilt thou, on this day, pledge fealty to our holy isle of Briton, and act as one of her Knights?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"Does thy wish to abandon thyself, and swear to be the shield and sword of our nation?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"And, does thy vow to never waver in this duty, to act forevermore as a paragon of justice and righteousness?"

"Yes, your Highness."

The holy sword touched his right shoulder. The holy sword touched his left shoulder. A light touch, a gentle touch even. But for Lancelot, this was a new beginning. Given to him by the one person whose judgement he had sought.

Lancelot had been judged, tried, and sentenced.

"Then I, King Arthur Pendragon of the house of Uther Pendragon, do hereby dub thee Sir Lancelot. Let this fact be known to all who may gaze upon you. Arise, Sir Lancelot."

Lancelot stood, silent tears streaming down his face.

"... I thank you. Your Majesty."

It was everything he could have hoped for.

* * *

"Saber. You're eerily quiet. Is something wrong?" Naruto asked softly.

Saber continued sitting in a chair and staring at a wall. She had been doing so for the past hour or so.

Seconds ticked by, gradually becoming minutes. Then, Saber spoke.

"I was a bad ruler." She said, at length. "I failed."

Naruto sighed. "Saber..."

"I led them, but I never understood them. I ruined Mordred's life and Lancelot's life, my brother's life, my wife's life... The lives of all of those who followed me. Their deaths are my great sin. It shouldn't have been like that."

"..."

"That is why... I have to change. I have to save my country. King Arthur was a terrible king... Maybe, if someone else were to reign... Maybe, my country would be saved."

Saving people at the cost of her own life. That was the way of the noble King Arthur, this woman who had borne too much.

King Arthur's kingship was also born from sacrifice. The minute she had pulled out the sword, she had sealed her fate.

"Do you understand me, Naruto? Do you understand my goals? Is this wish just? All I want is salvation."

Naruto turned, without saying a word, and stared out a window, gazing at the azure sky.

"Hah... The sky is blue today. That's a good color."

He shook his head, and gazed at his servant with tired eyes.

Eyes that had seen too much, and known too much.

"It is your wish. I cannot say whether or not it is good or bad, because I am not you. However... Let me just say this."

He licked his lips.

"You are not as terrible as you make yourself out to be. They followed you. They believed in you, and they chose that path. Is their fate lamentable? Yes. It is. However... Te fact remains, they chose to follow you because they BELIEVED in you. Your knights didn't have to swear fealty to your cause. They weren't coerced, they weren't forced. They chose to believe in a dream of peace."

"... My dream was a childish one."

"Maybe it is childish. Maybe, it isn't the best dream, the most flawless ideal. However... It's still a good one. And that's the most important part. It's not a bad ideal."

Naruto closed his eyes.

"The legacy of King Arthur and his noble knights... Saber, your legend lives on. Everybody knows about King Arthur and his dream. Almost everybody knows and looks up to your legend. The legend of the good King Arthur, the just King Arthur. The poster-child of greatness." He said, bitterly. "You have left behind a positive legacy. A grand and noble legend. History remembers."

He sighed.

"You should think about that. And, let me ask this question. If you were to change the succession, let me ask you this: For what purpose was all of that blood spilt?"

Saber choked.

"I... That is..."

"I envy you, Arturia. To have such devoted followers... I envy you, and your purity. Because, no matter how much I try to reach for the light... I fall. And my legacy... That's a bad one."

"I can't regret it though. I have no room to regret it. Because I know that there were people who would have wanted me to move on. Even if I don't want to move on."

And Naruto Uzumaki walked away. Remembering. He had been doing that a lot more lately.

Of fields of blood. Of hills of bodies. Of death, battlefields, deception and lies, honeyed words spoken in hushed undertones, insanity, murder, rape, arson.

Of sins. Of crimes. Of a brutal tyrant.

"I was a shitty person. Wasn't I?"

Even if he understood the value of his life, he didn't think that he deserved to live.

What a contradiction.

Even so, one thing was clear.

Saber, for all her shortcomings, was a hero.

Naruto could never be a hero.

Knights were heroes. Someone like him...

He was a villain.

* * *

In that room, Saber stood, shell-shocked.

Those words... Those words were...

They allowed her to think. To analyze her situation, her actions, her beliefs.

And she realized, bitterly, that Naruto was right.

Her knights loved her. The people had loved her. She was the issue, the problem that led to the downfall of her kingdom.

Her ideal was flawed from the get-go.

But it wasn't a bad ideal. And even if it is a bad ideal, or because it was a flawed ideal, aren't ideals something you stand behind with all your strength?

To create a utopia where everybody could be happy, a truly peaceful world- That was Arturia Pendragon's dream.

"Hah... I made mistakes. Didn't I?"

All humans made mistakes. It was part of human nature: No one was perfect, no matter how much they would try to be. No one was perfect.

Saber was still human. And it was because of this humanity that she made these mistakes. Of course, this same humanity is resilient. Durable. Strong, at times.

She had run away. She was running away. To change the past... Isn't that a coward's dream? Didn't that mean that she couldn't own up to her mistakes and move forwards?

The keywords were, move forwards.

"What would you all want me to do... My loyal men?" She wondered, speaking to an empty room.

Her knights loved her. Her legacy was a good one. That's what Naruto had said.

Naruto, who infuriated yet intrigued her.

Naruto, who had power but tried not to misuse it.

Naruto, the man who claimed to be a villain, but was in fact...

He was more of a hero, really.

That man moved forward, even if he didn't want to. Because, while he remembers the past, he tries not to dwell and live in it.

What he wanted was the future. What Saber wanted was the past.

And her wish became...

It became foolish, short-sighted, childish and stupid.

"... What do I really want?"

* * *

"Our biggest advantage in this alliance is the fact that Berserker's identity is completely unknown to almost all of the masters in the war. That is crucial." Naruto said dryly.

The four participants in the Fourth Heaven's Feel were gathered around the round table. Berserker, Saber, Kariya and Naruto. Little Sakura was to the side, sipping a cup of juice.

"Therefore, in order to keep this advantage, we cannot risk exposing Berserker's identity. Nor can we risk letting the enemy know that he is sane now, and will be for the rest of the Grail War."

"I understand." Berserker said quietly.

"Berserker, how are you doing power-wise?"

"I am functional and receiving an adequate amount of power from my master. Despite not being a properly trained magus, he is still quite powerful. However, were I to activate Mad Enhancement, he would die within minutes. The drain would be too much on his body. Also, I cannot activate my final noble phantasm, again, because the drain would be too much for Kariya to handle."

Naruto twitched.

"I see... Even then, we are still ahead of the competition."

Saber spoke up.

"Regardless, even if you cannot activate one of your noble phantasms, this group should be more than enough, unless the other masters decide to make another alliance. As it stands, the only person who could pose a threat to the four of us is Archer."

Kariya winced.

"Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes... Man. I knew that Tokiomi would summon the best of the best, but this is..."

"Gilgamesh is the most powerful servant in this war. That noble phantasm, the one that shoots swords... I think he could kill everybody with that alone. Fortunately, Tokiomi seems to be having problems getting Gilgamesh to behave."

"Yeah. It seems that way. That is to be expected of someone with that massively oversized ego, and Independent Action rank A."

Saber sighed.

"And, fortunately it seems like Archer has no real wish, no want to win the war. He seems content enough sitting by and watching the by-play."

"Even so..."

This went on for some time. At the end of this discussion, Saber, Berserker, Naruto and Kariya were able to reaffirm a few facts.

1. A battle of servants is a battle of concepts. Almost all battles between servants could be likened to a game of the elements: Water beats fire, fire beats air, air beats earth, earth beats water, etc. That is to say, it was like a massive game of rock, paper scissors. With giant swords, superhuman strength, and magic.

2. In general, it is much easier to take out the master rather than the servant. Infinitely easier.

3. All the competitors can perform magecraft. This means that most competitors would have the mindset of a magus, because they are a magus.

These constants meant that Naruto and his group had an insane advantage over their competitors.

For starters, they had two servants. Two combat-orientated servants. Two combat-orientated servants with relatively high stats. That fact alone put them miles ahead of most of the other masters.

Naruto was insanely hardy. That was another thing, Naruto was not as squishy as some of the masters in the war. Another massive advantage.

And the final piece of the puzzle: Naruto and Kariya didn't think like a magus. They weren't really raised as a magus, and while Naruro might call himself a magus sometimes, he really wasn't one, and he really didn't think like one.

This made them incredibly unpredictable, for those masters who did think like a magus could not understand those who did not.

Because of these factors, Naruto and Kariya had a massive advantage in the war.

"Now the real question is: who is the biggest threat in this war?"

Berserker coughed. "If I may interject, I believe that we may want to look at our position compared to the other master's position."

Saber nodded.

"I concur."

Naruto sighed and folded his hands, lacing his fingers together.

"If I had to say, Tokiomi Tohsaka is. Simply because he has a ridiculously powerful servant. However, that is all he has going for him. We know where he lives, and we can garner his actions from his personality. In my opinion, someone like Kiritsugu Emiya would be almost as big a threat."

This statement caused Berserker to raise an eyebrow.

"Is that because of his servant?"

"Yes. His servant is the servant that killed King Arthur, meaning any battles involving Saber and Avenger will be horribly skewed. Fortunately, Saber isn't the only servant in our little group. Even so, that is still quite the advantage..."

Naruto trailed off, before grimacing.

"No, what makes me worried is the man's personality. He's kind of like me, really in terms of career. A free-lancer. An assassin. A mercenary. And it appears as if the Einzbern have hired him to be their representative."

The blond man scowled.

"Kiritsugu Emiya is a man without morals. Kiritsugu Emiya is a man who would go to any length to finish the mission. Kiritsugu Emiya is a pragmatist, a cold assassin. Kiritsugu Emiya only cares about the end result. This man is not a magus. He's a killer. And this man, is extremely dangerous. They don't call him 'Magus Killer' for nothing after all."

"Naruto, if what you're saying is right, then do you believe Avenger and her master to be one of the most dangerous threats in this war?"

"They are one of our more threatening enemies. Kiritsugu is not to be trifled with, and Avenger isn't a run of the mill servant. I do know where his base of operations would most likely be, but even so... I'm not prepared to assault a castle. Not yet. Not without a game plan."

Because Kiritsugu was the representative of the Einzbern, he would probably be in the stronghold of the Einzbern: A castle on the outskirts of the city. However, attacking foolishly and blindly would most likely lead to greater inconvenience than necessary.

"And then there's that eighth servant. Just how the hell is there even an eighth servant in the war?"

Saber sighed.

"We certainly have a lot of enemies, don't we? Servants, masters..."

A growl was heard from the blond servant's stomach area.

Naruto, Kariya and Berserker deadpanned.

"...Hunger being one of them, of course." Saber finished.

Naruto cleared his throat loudly, in an attempt to dispel the awkward moment.

"I think we should take a break before going back to any kind of planning. What say you?"

**A/N:**

**Holy. Fuck. The sheer amount of angst and woe in this chapter... It's an emo's paradise.**

**Whoo! Whoo!**

**We just saw the heartfelt reunion between knight and king. We see the more somber discussion between Master and servant. And we begin to see a plan incoming. Awesome.**

**I based that 'knighting' ceremony off of the one from Code Geass. Altered to fit my needs, but just know that it's based off of that...**

**I don't own Code Geass by the way.**

**Wrote this chapter on my dad's desktop. My laptop is still being repaired. That's going to take a while... On a side note, I rewrote the chapter instead of writing it from memory, as I have stated before. I'm probably going to do the same with Contradictions, so expect that to be updated in a couple of weeks (1-4)**

**I'm wanting to write another fic, and I do in fact have time to write another fic. It won't interfere with my update schedule, not in the slightest. This one however, is going to be special. I'm putting it up to you guys to decide what I write. I have something like ten ideas just waiting to be released... :P. **

**The poll for that is up on my profile. Keep in mind, that updates for this fic will be incredibly slow and sporadic, seeing as my main focus is on Fate: Zero Hour Redux. Contradictions is a secondary project. This would be a tertiary project.**

******Now then... Is that it? I don't think that I have anything else to say...**

******Any and all criticism is appreciated. To me, this criticism allows me to make an average fic into a good one. So, please tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can rectify the mistakes.**

******I think we're done here. **

******Rein Hellfire, signing out.**

******Update 1:**

******Thank you Vandenbz, for pointing out several typos. Rectified.**


	12. Of Men and Monsters (Part One)

**A/N:**

**Holy shit, it's almost been a month since my last update.**

**Hmm, that's a long-ass time, huh? **

**I apologize for that, but real life called. Sorry...**

**As for this chapter... Oh dear. It's short... I'll try to get longer ones out, because this chapter is actually a little too short...**

**Nothing more to say here: Just going to get into the chapter now. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

**Running disclaimer!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. Do you know what I do own? A fancy new laptop. Aw yeah!**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Ten: Of Men and Monsters (Part One)

Before the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel:

_Avenger gazed out of the window of the castle. She looked at the clear sky, the white snow, the dead forest. The wintery forest, majestic in its stillness. And she looked upon a father and daughter, playing in the snow. _

_They were making a game out of finding walnut buds, it seemed. The little white-haired girl and her much bigger father, playing in the snow. How... Picturesque._

_Armored fingers gripped the windowsill, and began squeezing. Wood gave away under the relentless grip._

_"... That's how parents should treat their children."_

_The windowsill broke._

_"It is, isn't it? If even the most merciless killer can show affection to his daughter, then... Shouldn't that emotionless king be able to do the same?"_

* * *

There was an ominous presence around the church as well as inside the church.

The overseer of this Holy Grail War, Father Risei Kotomine, laughed.

It was a bitter sound.

Around an hour had passed since the summoning signal to come to the Fuyuki Church had been activated. Of course, none of the masters had come. Instead, there were five familiars gathered in this dark church. How strange, that a house of the Lord would have such a malevolent aura.

It seems as if most of the masters had sent representatives, at the very least. Apart from Caster and his master, Kotomine who was supposedly not even in the war anymore, and Saber and her master it seemed as if every other master in the war had at the very least sent their familiar.

Just then, the door slammed open.

"Sorry we're late. Has the thing started yet?"

One golden-haired blue-eyed master said cheerfully. Behind him, Saber shook her head at her master's antics.

Risei sweat-dropped.

_Is this guy really that dangerous?_

Then he remembered the 'Battle at Matou manor' and the ensuing destruction. Including those accursed black flames that STILL haven't gone out, and were an absolute nightmare to cover up. Add in the fact that the mansion was basically gone, and...

_... Yeah. He is._

The priest cleared his throat.

"No, it actually hasn't. But I might as well begin now."

"Awesome." Naruto threw himself onto a bench and began chilling like a boss. Saber twitched.

At times, her master really was quite immature.

"Ahem... Seeing as no one else is appearing..."

After that simple opening, the old Father faced the congregation of familiars and one human.

"The Holy Grail War is in danger. I'll get straight to the point, so as to not waste any of your time."

Risei paused, and began to think about how to word his next sentence, before speaking once again.

"It has come to my attention that Caster's Master is the man who is behind the serial killing and kidnapping cases that have happened lately in Fuyuki city. He used his Servant to carry out his crimes, and he ignored the crime scene right after he was done. That is to say, he's not concealing his traces. As you can see, that's a direct violation of the 'secrecy' part of this war."

Part of the Grail War was the need to conceal magecraft from mundane eyes. Therefore, seeing as Caster was killing his victims with magecraft and not even bothering to hide the evidence...

Although there was no response from the familiars, the Masters who heard his words through their familiars should be wavering right now, at least slightly.

Naruto's eyes hardened at this proclamation.

"He and his Servant are no longer your individual enemy, but a general threat to the summoning of the Holy Grail. Therefore, I am use the authority of supervision I have at such critical times, to temporarily change the rules of the Holy Grail War."

The priest raised his right arm, exposing said arm by pulling up his sleeve. Tattoo-like images were covering his arm. Though they may seem like tattoos, they were actually Command Seals.

"These are the Command Seals left over from previous Grail Wars. I can transfer these reserve Command Seals to anyone based on my judgment. I suppose you all know the importance and value of these seals?"

Risei smirked when he noticed Naruto and Saber tense slightly at his proclamation. It would have been so boring if all he was facing was a room full of familiars.

"Therefore, by my command: All masters are to cease all hostilities against one another. You should focus your energies on destroying Caster and his master. As for incentive: I will select the master who manages to annihilate Caster and his Master, and bestow upon him one additional Command Seal. If this mission is accomplished alone, only that person will be awarded. By that logic, if many work together then all will be awarded."

Father Risei rolled down his sleeve.

"The War will be resumed once Caster has been slain. So, if there are any questions, you should ask them now."

Complete and utter silence. Silence that was broken when the blond-haired man reclining on one of the benches in the church stood up, stretching to his maximum height. If one looked at his eyes, they would find that these cerulean orbs were filled with cold rage, holding nothing but contempt and anger.

The blond-haired man left, as did his servant. The door slammed shut behind them. His departure sparked a flurry of movement, as the sounds of moving chairs and the sounds of beings leaving mingled together.

And then there was silence.

The church was once again, silent.

Risei smirked.

"I wonder... Just what will happen in the future?"

* * *

Naruto was angry. Scratch that, he was more than angry. He was genuinely pissed off.

"So... That Caster is a mass murderer after all." He muttered. "Well then! That's... I don't even know what to say."

Naruto and Saber were walking back to their place of residence after hearing this depressing news.

"Not only that, but he's been killing children-!"

Naruto didn't approve of senseless murder. Not at all. Therefore, to hear that this disgusting being was killing children, that rankled on Naruto's nerves. He didn't even care about the reward. What he wanted was to see that fucker dead.

"The whole point of this... Every single battle, we've tried to minimize collateral damage, and now this fucker... That's... Words can't describe my feelings."

"Naruto, we're killing him first. There is no question of that." Saber remarked grimly. For a knight such as Saber, Caster's actions were completely and utterly repugnant.

"Besides, if we let him go the number of victims are going to pile up." Saber continued. "

Naruto grunted. "We're going to have to do some research. At least we have a name to go by- Gilles de Rais, huh?"

"Naruto, what do you propose?"

"... Time to hit the books."

* * *

Baron Gilles de Rais, a French knight who was a companion of the famed Joan of Arc, the maid of Orleans. He was also well known for being a mass murderer, a serial killer. To put it bluntly, the man was a raging bag of psychosis.

"At least we know why this guy was so obsessed about Joan."

A spiky blond head of hair was smoothed by large callused palms, before the owner of said head of hair and said palms put down the book he was reading.

The two were currently in the local library, doing research on their opponent's various myths and legends.

Naruto put down the book about French History, and turned to the small stack that he had amassed. A copy of _The Epic of Gilgamesh_, a collection of Irish legends, the aforementioned book about the exploits of Joan of Arc, and a tome containing the mythos surrounding the King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon.

"Still, I wonder how he could have been summoned as a Caster. As far as I can tell, he'd be more suited for a Saber or something along those lines. He'd probably be a pretty crappy Saber, but summoning this guy as a Caster makes no sense at all."

Saber interjected. "From what I understand, Caster dabbled in the occult for some time: namely, the summoning of demons. That could be how he would be summoned for Caster. Though from all indication, his summonings failed. Still, that's something to watch out for."

"Yeah, but how on earth was he even summoned in the first place? We already had seven servants, so why is there an eighth? No, something's off about this Holy Grail War, Saber, and I don't like it at all. Not in the slightest. Either way, now we know our opponents. And as they say, knowing is half the battle."

Saber grunted, and shifted in her seat a little. She straightened her tie, before speaking once again.

"Naruto, what is our plan then? Are we to proceed with the previously planned course of action?"

The blond sighed in exasperation.

"Isn't it obvious? Go after this fucker and kill him. I'm going to have to inform Kariya of this change. Either way, Caster's actions cannot be tolerated."

Saber cocked her head.

"You seem to be more offended by this affair, as if it's a personal matter. Why is that?"

"Don't you remember my history? From the dream cycle?"

"... Ah..."

"Adults shouldn't hurt or kill children. Not like this. In a perfect world, that wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, this world is far from perfect. Even so, there has to be some modicum of justice. One man shouldn't be allowed to play God with the lives of others, and that's what this senseless murdering is."

Saber gazed at her master with an almost sorrowful expression.

"It is settled then. We are going after this man?"

"Yes."

She nodded. "Very well."

A large red-haired figure caught Naruto's attention. "Well, speak of the bloody devil and he answers. Is that who I think it is?"

Saber glanced where Naruto was staring. Her eyes widened.

"Rider?"

Indeed, the burly servant was also in the library, reading several texts. He was dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, and in general seemed to be enjoying himself.

"What is he doing here?"

"Probably doing more research as to the opponents he would be facing." Naruto replied. "I know for a fact that I would. After all, he knows most of the servant's identities now."

He looked pointedly at his servant.

Saber leveled a chilling glare at her master. It was more playful than chilling, actually.

"I will have you know, that wasn't my fault. It was a mere slip of the tongue."

"I never implied it was your fault..."

The big servant waved in their direction.

"That's a clear-cut invitation if I've ever seen one."

"True. As a fellow King, it would be dishonorable to run from such a direct challenge."

And so, the pair made their way to Rider's table.

"Hello there, King of Knights, Naruto!"

"Greetings, Rider." Saber said, stiffly. This was after all an enemy servant. He may have appeared amiable, but appearances can be deceiving. Although Rider didn't seem like the type to backstab his enemies, one could never be too careful.

"Yo." Naruto waved lazily.

"You dare address a king so impudently, boy?"

"I dare."

Saber tensed. This situation...! This was bad. If Naruto antagonized Rider, things may devolve into a fist-fight. Although she had no compunctions on fighting, she would rather not fight in front of so many mundane people. After all, the entire war revolved around secrecy.

Her fears proved to be unfounded when Rider laughed uproariously.

"HAHA! You really are an interesting one! Are you sure you don't want to join my army?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Sorry, Rider. I can't do that. It's not just my pride that I have to consider. Saber is very proud, to the point where it's almost a character flaw."

Saber twitched.

"Of course, that's not a bad thing. Being proud is never a bad thing, and Saber has every right to be proud. After working with her for a few weeks, I can tell she deserves her title 'King of Knights'. Therefore, to be treated as an underling under another king would surely rankle her pride. I can't step on her pride. That's the one thing I'm not allowed to do."

He paused.

"Well, there are many things that I'm not allowed to do, but that's not the point."

"Ah, too bad." Rider sighed. "That's unfortunate, that is."

"Rider!" That was a new voice.

"Hmm? Is that your 'master'?"

Rider blinked.

"Why so it is."

"Where the hell have you been!" Waver Velvet ran to his servant, huffing slightly from his exertion. "You left me alone, dammit!"

It was then that he noticed the company Rider was keeping.

"Ah, shit."

* * *

"It seems as if all of the masters are hunting down Caster, isn't that correct, Kiritsugu?"

Irisviel asked her husband. They were going over their own course of action, their own plan. Behind them, Avenger was leaning against the wall, smirking. It should be noted that she was dressed in horribly scandalous clothing, wearing extremely short short-shorts and a shirt that exposed her navel.

"Yes, that's correct. Because there's some compensation for the trouble, most of the masters will probably be hunting that guy down."

Kiritsugu cleared his throat.

"However, concerning this Caster, it would be unwise to attack him. After all, we're one of the only ones who know his name."

The strange Caster had appeared before Avenger and Irisviel on the morning of the second day of the war. He was raving about how Avenger was 'An imitation, a pale copy of the Holy Maiden', and about how 'Fakers must be punished for this blasphemy'.

Avenger hadn't taken kindly to his words.

Kiritsugu shook his head.

"That servant is clearly touched in the head... Regardless, we don't need to chase him. He's probably going to come to us, so all we have to do is set our trap and wait for the mouse to come scurrying along."

"More waiting?" Avenger spoke, clearly irked.

Kiritsugu made to ignore his servant.

"Oi, master, you remember, don't you? The terms of my agreement? I'd obey you, and in return... You'd stop seeing me as a fucking tool. Don't you remember that?"

Kiritsugu remained silent, giving no indication that he heard his servant's words.

"Fine then, remain silent you old bastard." Avenger turned to the door. "I'm going for a walk. Remember, you can't order me around unless you use your Command Seals. And you've only got three of them. You'd better make them count, eh?"

The silence continued.

"... I'm no man's tool. Not anymore. You'd best remember that, Kiritsugu."

Kiritsugu exhaled a sigh of relief when she left.

"That girl..." Irisviel muttered. "That girl, you shouldn't treat her like that."

"How I treat Avenger is of no consequence." Kiritsugu replied. "As long as she remains compliant to my orders, it is of no consequence."

"She's..."

"Avenger is something like a rabid dog, that'll bite the hand that feeds it. We did summon the great betrayer, Mordred after all."

Irisviel's accusing glare caused Kiritsugu to wilt slightly.

"... Fine. I'll talk to her later."

"Remember that she is still a knight. A blood-knight, a knight of death and killing, but she's still a knight. She has her pride."

"Have you two been speaking to one another?"

"As a matter of fact, we have. It was very insightful." Irisviel sighed.

"That poor girl..."

Kiritsugu cleared his throat and began speaking.

"Essentially, we aren't going to be fighting Caster. Another master will probably kill that guy, so we don't need to worry about him at all. Rather, we're going to be targeting the other masters as they hunt down Caster."

The white-haired woman was shocked at this callous statement.

"Not fighting Caster?"

"Caster is the bait. Caster is the target, the one that these masters have set their eyes upon. Caster has also expressed interest in Avenger. Therefore, Caster will have to come here, eventually. And once he arrives, some of the masters that are chasing him will also arrive at this castle. And then we can pick off some competition. We're going to hunt the hunters, if you will."

That was how Kiritsugu thought. He had no morals. No pride. He'd do whatever it takes to secure victory. He'd blow up a building or kill innocents if he had to.

This person scared Irisviel.

This person was not her husband. This person could only be described as a predator: a merciless killer.

And...

Irisviel glanced at the corner, where a black-clad woman was residing. That woman didn't speak a single word, merely regarded her with a cool eye, before turning her attention elsewhere.

That woman, Maiya Hisau... It wasn't the first time she had seen Maiya. She knew the woman managed all of Kiritsugu's worldly businesses, but her behavior was most irregular.

During this strategy session, this woman never had a sliver of doubt as to Kiritsugu's words and heartless demeanor. It was as if everything Kiritsugu was doing was completely normal. Maybe, for Maiya, this is how Kiritsugu normally was. The Magus Killer.

"...How about the ceasefire that the supervisor proposed?"

She asked a completely irrelevant question, in order to divert her attention and avoid thinking of these anguishing topics.

"We'll ignore that rule. That shifty priest never said anything about consequences if we break this 'truce'. Therefore, if he really gets on our case about it, we'll just pretend like we didn't know about the ceasefire."

"I see."

"I think that this session is over. Maiya, return to the city and gather intelligence. Irisviel, you'll stay with me so we can prepare for Caster's imminent assault. The man has to be planning an attack, after all."

"Yes sir."

Irisviel heard the door open, before closing. Maiya had left. She sighed.

"Kiritsugu..."

Irisviel blinked. Was the man...

"Kiritsugu, why are you hugging me...?

The black-haired man didn't speak, instead hugging the Irisviel tightly. His shoulders were shaking, and... Was he crying?

This wasn't the 'Magus Killer' personality. This was the more emotional man behind the mask. It seems that even Kiritsugu Emiya had a heart as well.

"Irisviel: We can... If I decide to run away, Iri, would you come with me?"

"Run away?"

"Yes. Run away, and leave all of this behind. Would you come with me?"

"Ilya… our daughter is still inside that castle."

"Then we go back there and get her out. I'll happily put a bullet in that old man's heart."

Kiritsugu's eyes were hard. He was serious about this.

"We could leave, live on the road. You know that I'd protect the both of you with everything that I've got."

Irisviel's own crimson eyes softened. This man wasn't the one that she had met nine years ago. This man had changed, which is why he was proposing such a shocking plan of action. She was the cause of his change, she and her daughter.

But...

"Are we actually able to run away?"

"There's a chance."

"... Kiritsugu, you know that we can't do that."

Irisviel pointed that out, gently. The words were cruel, though she didn't want the, to be cruel, but the truth-!

The truth is often cruel.

"... You can't run away. Didn't you promise that you'd definitely win the Holy Grail, and fulfill your ideal? Yeah... That ideal of a good world. A world where no one needs to be unhappy. Where people can smile."

"... I'm afraid, Irisviel. That man, that Naruto Uzumaki... I thought he was an unknown. But then, on that first night and on the second night..."

"That man, he could have killed me. Easily. What kind of monster is he!? I could have died. He could have killed me, and the worst part is, I can't even predict him. He's unpredictable, impossible to comprehend. What kind of guy can fight heroic spirits head to head? That's just insane!"

Kiritsugu is a killer. A hunter. Therefore, his worst nightmare would be to be hunted by someone else. And Naruto Uzumaki, that man could be called the 'hunter of hunters'.

Impossible to predict. So powerful that any resistance by a mortal would be laughable.

Kiritsugu could have died. He would have died, and left his wife and child all alone. That prospect was absolutely terrifying to deal with, for this poor man. Nine years ago, he wouldn't have cared, but now?

The fear of losing the ones he cares about is a frightful prospect. That's his weakness: the ones he loves.

"I won't let you fight alone."

Irisviel said gently as she caressed her husband's shaking back.

"You have me. You have Maiya. Even Avenger will fight for you. Kiritsugu, you're not alone anymore."

* * *

"Pah! A pox upon this weather!" Avenger grumbled. It was rather cold after all, and she wasn't really wearing warm clothing. Servants, while hardy, were still subject to their external conditions. They could in fact feel cold.

"A pox upon manipulative bastards!"

She growled, and struck the wall. The wall trembled.

The servant pulled her dainty fist out of the wall, leaving a large hole, before continuing to walk down the hallway.

"... A pox upon my-"

The words choked in her mouth, dying out. She growled, and turned her head angrily to the side.

A mirror caught her attention. She gazed at its surface, marveling at her face.

That was the face of her father. Her face. And that face was a reminder of her great failure.

The girl stood, staring at her own reflection, before sitting down onto the hard floor.

"... Father..."

That sword. Excalibur. She remembered that sword well. It was the sword of 'Salvation'. The holy sword that belonged to the greatest king that Britain had ever known. That sword was King Arthur's sword.

That sword's light had reminded her of her best memories. Campaigning with the great king, serving at his Round Table: She believed not in King Arthur's ideals, but in the great king himself. The king who was perfect. The epitome of perfection. Flawless, invincible, maybe not human... King Arthur was her idol, for a time in her life. That idolization, that shaped her.

"Damn it all. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it."

A shaking accompanied each phrase, as she struck the ground in her anger.

"... I need to see you again. I need to talk to you again. I need to tell you something. I'm not allowed to call you my king anymore, but..."

She longed for the king's approval. And she regretted her actions on that day, at that hill. The hill of swords and blood. Her battle. King Arthur's last battle.

She regretted it all. And now...

"I am no man's tool. Not again! Never again! Please... Forgive me... But I need to see you again."

**A/N:**

**Here we go. The intro into one of the more depressing arcs that I've concocted. **

**Great.**

**Damn, I'm pretty tired. Yesterday was one of the most depressing days of my life. It started out okay, but then it got progressively worse as time went on. I won't regale you with the details, as my life is probably what you guys DON'T want to read about.**

**Essentially, it boils down to: Being dragged to some desert for some obscure reason, getting a really bad sunburn, mosquitos, having to deal with my brother's friends (Extremely bratty children) and essentially having a bad time. **

**One kid fainted because it was too hot. That should give you an indication of how bad it was where I was.**

**Ahem... Anyway, we're back! I'm really sorry about this short chapter, but I feel as if I have to get this out here now, before it continues to fester on my hard drive and gather cobwebs...**

**Of course, future chapters will be of more typical length.**

**Shameless plug: The link to my Forum is in my profile. Go check that out, if you have the time. Challenges and news are posted there.**

**And once again, if there are any mistakes in my writing, please tell me so I can rectify them.**

**Rein Hellfire: Getting some water. I'm thirsty.**


	13. Of Men and Monsters (Part Two)

**Update 1: **

**SPOILER ALERT!**

**Maybe I need to make a few things clear... This Naruto is an AU! Naruto. I say as much in the prologue. Therefore, because he went through different experiences, he's going to be somewhat different.**

**Honestly, I think the entire part where he speaks about campaigning with Rider would be evident of that... Just putting that out there, because some people think I'm using Canon! Naruto in this fic.**

**Edited the part where Lancelot and Saber talk about food.**

**Spoiler end.**

**A/N:**

**This is completely unrelated to this chapter... kind of. As a kind of side note, I do in fact have a challenge going on for this fic. An Omake challenge, if you will. Details are on my forum but the gist is that any person interested in writing omake can send them to me. If I like it, I'll post it on this story as part of a chapter. Just throwing that out there.**

**Ahem... On with the chapter.**

**Avenger is really difficult to characterize, simply because there's really no actual source to refer to for her personality. I did my best, so I'm glad you all are liking the way I'm viewing her personality.**

**I'm probably going to be making this story forty chapters long, the way things are going. That's a conservative estimate by the way. Odds are, it's going to be even longer.**

**One last thing before I run the disclaimer. What's going on in the Naruto manga right now? I stopped reading it a while back (About a year ago), so I'm out of the loop a little. Just curious about the insane concoction Kishimoto has cooked up. The guy started out with a good concept, but in my opinion the series kind of... Fell apart. Can't really hate on the man, but I'm a little irked with the way he took things. That's just me however.**

**Running disclaimer so as to save you from my ramblings. I have a story dedicated to ramblings.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. Who the fuck do you think I am? I'm just an average joe, dammit! I'm not a genius like Nasu or Kishimoto!**

**Well, the 'Kishimoto' part is debatable... But I don't own a flipping thing. I'm still sour about that.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Eleven: Of Men and Monsters (Part Two)

"... Ah, shit."

Waver Velvet mumbled this phrase, clearly worried. The reason he was so anxious?

It would have to be the blond-haired master who was sitting beside his servant.

Said blond-haired master blinked.

"... What? You want something, kid?"

"Naruto, I believe the boy is terrified of you." Saber muttered underneath her breath.

"What? I'm not that intimidating!"

"After holding off Berserker in a sword battle, you put shrapnel in his armor by blowing him up. You then proceeded to kick Lancer's arse to kingdom come, and then decided to burn an entire mansion down with an unquenchable black flame. This was all done within the span of two days."

"Three. Technically, it's been three days."

"Regardless, my point remains. Any normal person would be terrified out of their minds, because the things that you do aren't normal by any definition of the word." She sighed.

"... True." Naruto glanced over at Waver, who was standing completely still. "Oi kid, you alright?"

"I'm not a kid, dammit!" The black-haired boy shouted. He then proceeded to pale.

"Oh god, I'm dead. I'm fucking dead. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away."

"Ah, put a cork in it." Rider proceeded to flick his master on the forehead, sending him flying.

"Ouch!"

"Will he be alright?" Saber wondered.

Rider gave a noncommittal grunt.

"Eh, he'll be fine. Oi, boy. Don't worry about that guy. This war is supposed to be a secret war, right? That's kind of why we're not going at each other's throats at this time, like some sort of wild animal. No offense by the way."

"None taken." Naruto replied, a small smirk on his face. This was quite humorous.

"Anyways, it would defeat the purpose of concealing the nature of this competition if we decided to fight in broad daylight, right?"

Rider laughed heartily.

"Chin up, boy! You have nothing to fear! Besides, this guy is harmless! Well, he is right now."

Naruto winked.

"Rest assured, Waver Velvet. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Ho... Hold on! How do you know my name?!"

"I make it a habit to know the competition. After all, knowledge is power. Or to be more accurate, most of the time knowledge is power. Intelligence is a key factor in any war. How strong are your enemy's armies? How strong is your army? What's morale like on the other side? Provisions? Weapons? Troop movements? Knowing isn't half the battle. It's more like three-quarters of the battle."

Saber nodded at this statement. This was completely accurate. Information was a key part of any battle. Knowing what one's enemy is doing and anticipating his moves: that's the key to success.

Rider cast an appraising eye onto the blond master.

"Ho... You've done this before, haven't you?"

"I've been on my fair share of campaigns. Let's leave it at that. As to how I know your name, I did some research. I have my connections at the Mage's Association after all. Not to mention, I've been doing my own poking around. You really should ward your place of residence a little better."

Waver took a step back.

"You know where I live?"

"I know where most of the masters are living."

"You... Are you omnipotent?"

"Nah. I just spy a lot. It helps when you can mass produce scouts on command. The problem is dealing with the feedback..."

Naruto said this casually, as if the entire talk was of everyday matters. He could have been speaking about anything from what kind of food he had for breakfast to the number of babies he's eaten, and the topic would have been delivered in that same casual tone.

Rider grunted. "Ah, so that's the strange technique you used on the first night. Interesting..."

"Pleasantries aside, I think we had better cut to the heart of the matter Rider. That is to say, I would like to ask you a question." Saber interjected.

"Go ahead."

"Why are you here?" She asked, bluntly.

"Hmm? To learn, of course. To learn more about this world that I was summoned into."

"That's all?"

"Yes. Why do you ask this question?"

"It is of no consequence. I was merely curious as to why you would be spending your time in a library."

"What would you have me do, waste away at home? Do you mean to tell me that you haven't indulged yourself at all, after being summoned?"

"That is none of your business."

"Ah you have, haven't you." Rider laughed uproariously. "That's good to hear. You really should be making the most of this opportunity to walk the mortal plane once more."

Before she was summoned, Saber wouldn't have engaged in any leisurely activities. She would have focused all of her energy into winning the Holy Grail. Now, however, that demeanor had changed.

She was able to relax. After finding out that she had been summoned early and that there was no point in focusing on winning the grail because the war hadn't even started, she began to take some time off and enjoy this modern era that she was summoned into. Saber was finally able to relax a little bit.

Sparring, eating, fighting, and in general, just relaxing.

"I suppose I have." She replied. "I suppose I have."

It felt liberating, to not have to worry about duties or battles. But, Saber was Saber. She was a king, and therefore, she would perform her duty. That was her nature, to be a selfless king that sacrifices herself for the good of her country and people. Therefore, Saber would be drawn to duty and she would perform her duty, and invariably she would choose duty. To do otherwise would be to deny herself, to deny the being that is 'King Arthur'.

"Yes, I have enjoyed my time thus far. I cannot say that it has been boring."

"Hmm... Very well then."

Waver stood.

"Rider! Why did you do that?!"

"You were being loud. You're still being loud. Can you please be quiet? We are in a library after all, aren't people generally quiet in libraries?"

* * *

"Anyways, what do you all think of this Caster matter?"

Naruto grunted. The group was currently outside of the library, having been kicked out by an irate librarian.

"The fucker is going down. He needs to go down."

"I see..."

"This has become personal. He has stained my honor as the King of Knights by assuming that I was another being and continuing this assumption that I am another person. Not to mention, he's been murdering the innocent. The people that have nothing to do with this affair. I cannot let that slide, you see." Saber said vehemently.

"Men should not play God with other men's lives." Naruto stated solemnly. "Monsters kill men. Only monsters kill men."

"Oh? Then, who kills the monsters?" Rider asked, slightly amused by Naruto's comment.

"Heroes, of course. Heroes kill monsters. Monsters kill men. Men kill heroes. That's the way of the world. Of course, it's not that simple. Sometimes you get heroes that kill other heroes, or monsters that kill other monsters."

Rider grinned.

"That is an amusing statement you've made there. So then, what are you, you who defeats heroes? Are you implying that you're just a man?"

Naruto smiled. That smile was world-weary, depressed, slightly fatigued. It wasn't a care-free smile. It had a slightly darker undertone to it.

"I'm one of a kind. There will never be another being like me in this world."

"Hoh..."

"..."

Rider stared at Naruto, who continued smiling. However, the blond's eyes were closed.

"... I see."

"No. You actually don't."

Waver cut in, desperate to get away from this uncomfortable topic.

"Eh, Uzumaki..."

"Just call me Naruto."

"Right! Naruto... Just, how are you working so well with Saber? I mean, even Rider has commented on how well you two work together, so... I mean, I was just wondering..."

Naruto glanced at the boy.

"Oh god, please don't eat me..."

Saber raised her hand.

"I believe that I am able to answer this question. It is because we trust one another."

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

Naruto cut in.

"We fought together. Ate together, slept together, spent time with one another. We got to know each other, through the dream cycle, through actual life. I make it a point to refer to our bond as a partnership, because that's what it is. Saber and I, we're kind of using one another. The reason why we work so well together is because of this fact."

"That is to say, Naruto and I have learned how to work together. We became friends over the course of time. Partners. We respect one another, and know one another."

Saber stated, in a brisk and business-like tone.

"If you are having issues with your teamwork, it is probably because you do not know your servant that well."

"Unit cohesion is very important." Naruto muttered. "In any army, the group works better when moving as one, not many. I treat Saber as a person because she is a person. She treats me as a friend because we are friends. Because, after fighting and living with one another for an extended period of time, either you become friends or you become enemies."

He smiled, a more genuine smile this time.

"Fortunately, we became the previous, and not the latter."

"I see..."

"How do you see yourself, Waver Velvet? And how do you view Rider? Once you answer this question, you're probably one step closer to fixing your issue."

* * *

"Hah... Hah..."

A little girl wept bitterly, breaths squeaking from a parched throat.

It was a dark room. A dank room, a damp room. It was a room of despair, of bitter tears and cries of pain.

The awful stench of blood and entrails filled the room, acting like some sort of horrid perfume.

"Let's see... Do, re mi... No, that can't be right."

In the darkness as thick as blood, only a single solitary candle flicked. The dim light shone on Uryū Ryūnosuke's face.

Elegant red-stained fingers fondled long strips of some raw meat. To be more specific, this meat was raw intestine. And the owner of said intestines was still alive.

This depraved man was playing with the entrails of the little girl.

Ryūnosuke picked up a tuning fork with his left hand and hit it on the edge of the table.

"Hmm. That's not right... Darn."

On a crucifix on top of a long table, the girl was tied up. It was here that she was tortured, here where her body was toyed with. Here, in this workshop of horror.

"It seems like the 'Human Keyboard' idea didn't work after all. Well, that sucks."

The coppery stench in the air suddenly intensified. A feeling of power could be felt, of raw energy flowing through the room.

"Ah, Sir Bluebeard! Welcome back!"

The fish-eyed servant remained silent.

"Sir Bluebeard? The instrument didn't work... "

"This is... This is..."

"Sir Bluebeard? Is something wrong?"

A hand stretched out. Grasped the head of the girl who was crucified.

"This can't be. This blasphemous God, who tries to confuse me... With a pathetic imitation... How despicable."

The hand squeezed. A head burst, squashed from the massive pressure.

"Sir Bluebeard!"

"T-This..."

"Is something the matter, Sir Bluebeard?"

"I will... I will make this God pay. I'll wipe out that imitation! Then, I'll claim my holy maiden... Yes, that is what I'll do..."

The servant was completely unreasonable. His eyes were rolling, spittle flying, pale fingers clenching and unclenching like demented spiders. The man was insane.

"Ryūnosuke, how many children are still locked in the cells?"

"... There are still eight of them alive. Five died when I played with them."

That was unfortunate for the red-haired man. Fortunately, Caster was capable of weaving magic that could keep the children alive through conditions that would have killed them normally. This was good for Uryū, as he could be more 'creative' and liberal in his art.

"Very good. Start with those eleven; make them sacrifices as soon as possible. When we're finished with them, we'll capture some other children as replacements before tomorrow morning."

"Yes sir, Mr. Bluebeard! Might I ask, what are you going to be doing?"

Caster grinned.

"I am going to be spitting in God's face, and desecrating that despicable imitation. That evil abomination could never be my beloved Jeanne."

"That's cool, Sir Bluebeard! You're the coolest!"

* * *

"Waver Velvet, just why are you in this war?"

"Huh?"

Naruto clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"I mean, why are you here? People have died in this war before, don't you know that? That's something I can't figure out: Why exactly are you here? There's no real motive for you to be here, so what kind of wish do you want? What would you use the Grail for?"

Waver swallowed.

"I... That is to say... I want recognition!"

Complete silence. Naruto and Saber were looking at Waver with an almost pitying expression, while Rider shook his head slowly.

"What? You want to become famous or something?"

"What I want is only to be viewed in an equal light. To make my colleagues at the Clock Tower, who never acknowledged my talent-"

Naruto said nothing, remained impassive. Saber however, looked at Waver with measured distaste.

"That's frivolous. You'd risk your life for something like that?" She asked. "Rider... I pity you, that's really quite sad."

Rider grunted.

"The boy is spirited, but I don't know if his heart's in the right place."

"Oi, stop talking about me like I'm not even here dammit!"

Naruto spoke.

"In any case, that's your wish?" He shrugged. "It's not the best wish, that much I can say. But-"

"What do you know about recognition? You're the apprentice of Zelretch, for crying out loud! When did you ever have to worry about recognition?!"

Saber sucked in a breath. A small action, barely discernible, but at the same time...

The blond magus said nothing, merely turned his back on Waver Velvet.

"Saber."

"Ah... Yes?"

"You hungry? Let's go home and eat some lunch."

"I am feeling slightly peckish."

Waver seethed. Was this guy ignoring him?

"Oi, don't look down on me, dammit!"

"Waver Velvet."

And then, Naruto looked at him. And he was much taller than Waver was, taller than Saber, almost as tall as Rider. And he gazed at Waver, with this cold expression, with frigid blue eyes. Calculating. Analyzing. Waver felt as if he was being studied under the lenses of some cold machine, and he was frightened, and-!

"You should ask yourself. Are you really prepared to risk life and limb on that wish? Are you really prepared for the war? Have you steeled your mind and body in preparation?"

"Do you know death?"

Naruto turned away.

"Think about that."

* * *

"At any rate, that's my report."

Naruto said casually. He and Saber were back in their house, sitting at a round table. Kariya rubbed his temples wearily.

"That's your report, huh? So then, we're going after Caster first?"

"That's correct."

"I thought-"

"The original plan was to attack Tokiomi's mansion, yes. Unfortunately, I'd have to say that this matter takes precedence."

"But-"

"Kariya, Caster is killing innocent CHILDREN. Children of all things."

Kariya slumped from where he was sitting, defeated by Naruto's words.

"Sakura could have been one of Caster's victims. She is in fact about that same age-"

"Shut up! Shut up!" The black-haired man groaned. "I understand. I don't have to like this entire situation, but I can go along with it."

"We can go after Tohsaka later. Right now however, Caster needs to be stopped before the number of innocent victims pile up."

"Again, I can see where you're coming from..."

Sakura could have been one of Caster's victims, were she in the wrong place at the wrong time. That was unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable.

"Alright, I'm going to go put on lunch. I'll be back."

And with that, Naruto left. Moments after he left, the delicious smell of something cooking wafted through the doorway.

Saber's nose twitched.

"I am going to go see where Berserker is. Do you know where he is, Kariya?"

"Hmm? Oh, that guy? He's reading some books to Sakura. They're in her bedroom."

Saber nodded curtly, before making her own departure.

Kariya let his head drop onto his palms.

"My god, what have I gotten myself into?"

Sakura has been saved, and therefore Kariya Matou has no need to remain in this Holy Grail War. He was simply a regular guy. He had renounced the path of a magus a long time ago. For all intents and purposes, Kariya Matou was simply a normal guy who was dropped into a shitty situation.

"... What have I gotten myself into, indeed?"

He'd help Naruto. If only, because he had to repay a debt. Other than that...

"At least Sakura is safe. That's all that matters. That Sakura's well and alive."

* * *

Saber raised an eyebrow at the scene before her.

"Fairytales?"

Berserker was sitting besides Sakura's futon, book in hand. The purple-haired girl was sitting quietly, listening to the servant's softly spoken words. It was a peaceful scene.

"Not fairytales. History."

It was then that Saber looked at the title of the book.

"The Green Knight? Oh, I remember him well." She chuckled. "Very well. Poor Gawain. But, that was indeed a test of his loyalty..." She trailed off.

Berserker had a wry smile on his face.

"Gawain forbade me from aiding you in the battle of Camlann. I begged with him, pleaded with him even, but he barred my path."

An uncomfortable silence came into being. Saber broke the silence.

"Lancelot, enough. What's passed has passed. Let us not dwell on such matters any longer. At any rate, I came up here to inform you that lunch is ready."

Berserker chuckled.

"Very well then. Come, little one. We had best be on our way."

Sakura nodded, before heading down the stairs.

"She's a good kid." Berserker observed. "Really quiet, but that is to be expected considering what happened to her." He scowled. "I hope that old worm got a fitting punishment. He's hurt a lot of people in the course of his machinations."

It should be noted, Zouken Matou was still on fire. He felt a cold chill run up his spine, before resuming his screaming. Or trying to scream, seeing as his lungs had just collapsed a couple of minutes ago.

Yes, Zouken Matou was still in hell.

"You're smiling."

Saber raised an eyebrow.

"Is that supposed to mean anything?"

"You smiled. I've never seen you smile like that before."

"What are you insinuating, Lancelot?"

"I don't mean to insult your person. Expressing your feelings is never a bad thing. I was just wondering what precipitated this change. What caused the king who could never understand feelings to turn human?"

"I... That is to say..."

"I just noticed that. How fascinating."

And with that, Berserker left.

Saber also left, closing the door behind her, leaving behind an empty room.

* * *

"This is quite excellent fare." Berserker noted, while sipping from his Miso soup.

Saber nodded briefly, never stopping in her eating. She swallowed.

"It is much better than what we had in Camelot, isn't it?"

Saber and Berserker shuddered slightly as they remembered the things they used to eat.

"Definitely better."

"There is no question about it, this is delicious."

"As is expected of my master. To create food of this caliber..."

Naruto blushed.

"Ah, that's enough of that praise. I didn't really put much effort into this meal..."

Naruto had simply cooked some white rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. It was then that he noticed that the food was running extremely low. Considering he cooked enough for five people...

"Oh god, not another one. I know that servants eat a lot, but this is ridiculous."

With a sigh, Kariya finished his last bite of food and patted his stomach.

"Ah, that was good. It's been a while since I've had a cooked meal. Hey, Sakura, you want to get ice cream?"

The little girl nodded.

"Is it alright if we go get ice cream?"

Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Go ahead and indulge yourself. I can loan you some more money, if you need it."

"Nah, that's fine. We'll be back soon."

Naruto inclined his head. "Come and go safely. Berserker-"

"I'll go with them."

With that, he took his incorporeal form.

After they had left, Saber glanced at the blond.

"I'm worried. Isn't Assassin still out there?

"True. Assassin is still lurking about the shadows. He cannot approach this building though. The last time he tried, my seals... Well, you saw the aftermath."

Saber wrinkled her nose.

"That was... Messy. It's a shame that you cannot fortify another building like you have this one."

"Sadly, I cannot do that. It took me two weeks to place the final seals. We simply do not have that much time, and our adversaries will not allow us that amount of time. Not to mention, we cannot remain idle. Eventually, we will have to be proactive and move about. There can only be two victors after all. One master, one servant. No more, no less. One cannot sit behind warded walls forever."

The blond servant sighed.

"True. Have you thought about how to approach Caster?"

"Have you?"

"Divide our forces. Two parties of two. We can cover more ground that way. The more ground we cover, the better our chances of catching this rat."

"Isn't that dangerous though? Splitting our forces like this? What happens if Caster proves to be stronger than anticipated?"

"It shouldn't be a problem. I am certain that I will be able to handle whatever foul magecraft that being possesses. I am sure that Sir Lancelot will be able to as well, and as for you..." Saber looked at her master with an almost incredulous expression. Her cowlick twitched.

"Need I say anymore?"

Naruto sighed, and stretched his limbs, before reclining on the floor. His hands reached behind his head in order to support the head like a pillow.

"You're placing an awful lot of trust into my capabilities."

"It is because I trust you." Saber stated quietly. "I know that you will not let yourself fall so easily to some mad animal."

"Mmm." Naruto murmured. "Still, that seems to be..."

"Remember what you said to me in Switzerland?"

"The Switzerland mission? I remember that one..." He sighed. "Man, that fucker was a tough one. He was a runner too. Didn't it take us three days to track that guy down? It was snowing as well, wasn't it?"

"You told me that I could trust you. Are you giving me reasons to doubt those words?"

Saber stared at Naruto searchingly, green eyes boring into blue. Naruto closed his eyes in order to avoid Saber's gaze.

"... No. No, I am not."

"Can I trust you to succeed?"

"Yes. It's my responsibility as your master."

"Can I trust you with my back in battle?"

"Yes. It's my responsibility as your partner-in-crime."

"And can you trust me to make the right decisions?"

Naruto opened his eyes. Met Saber's unflinching stare with his own.

"Yes. That is my responsibility as your friend."

"Trust that I know what I'm doing, Naruto. I have in fact done this sort of thing before. We have hunted down our fair share of individuals. This will be no different."

"True... So, two teams then? Yes... This could work. If we can narrow down the possible places where Caster's lair could be, and isolate the area..."

"Caster would have chosen someplace secluded. Isolated, some place where the smell of blood and decay would be unnoticeable. Not to mention, the bodies of the children were all found underground. Underground, in the sewers. They had been cut apart, mutilated; and from the news reports, they had died recently."

"So... Underground, in the sewer system." Naruto mused. "Well, that's as good a starting point as any. When do we move out?"

"The sooner the better, so as to minimize the number of victims. Every second Caster is allowed to live causes his body count to increase. When Sir Lancelot and Kariya return, we shall inform them of this development. And then we shall begin the hunt."

* * *

Darkness was falling in Fuyuki City. The sun was setting, brilliant oranges and yellows illuminating the buildings. The day was ending. People closed their shops, returned home after a long day of work, skipped out of school.

In a forest on the outskirts of the city, there was a castle. This castle was bathed in iridescent scarlet, flaming gold. The sunset was glorious, glorious indeed.

This castle was the place of residence of one Emiya Kiritsugu, his wife Irisviel Einzbern, his associate Maiya, and his servant Avenger.

Outside of this castle, a dark figure stood in the last vestiges of the light.

This figure stank of blood, decay, death. This figure stank of despair, of the smells associated with human suffering. This figure was dressed in a black cloak, dyed red inplaces.

He emanated a sense of wrongness. It was as if the world abhorred his very existence, because he was so... So...

So evil.

Behind him, about ten or so children were staggering, walking as if they were drunk or asleep. The oldest among these children; he had to have been a primary school student.

This motley group wandered in the forest surrounding the mighty castle. Waiting. Waiting, for night to fall.

The day had ended, and the creatures of the night were about to come out and play.

Caster grinned.

"It is almost time. It is almost time..."

The third day of the Fourth Heaven's Feel came to an end. And the endless night began.

Caster's presence was noted by many of the masters of the war. Assassin spotted him, or one of Assassin's incarnations sensed him and reported this to Kirei. Kirei told his partner-in-crime, Tokiomi Tohsaka.

A suited spiky blond-haired figure dispelled itself when it noticed this strange band approaching the place it was watching over.

And there were others. Others that noticed Caster's presence on the Einzbern estate, and reacted.

Caster smiled. This was the smile of a person who delighted in the torture of his fellow humans. The smile of the mad doctor, who is preparing to cut into his new 'test subject'. The smile of the insane teacher upon realizing he has a new subject to 'educate'. The smile of the spoiled child who realized that he has a new toy to 'play with' and break.

This smile was the smile of one who is steeped in madness, who has stared into the darkness and embraced it wholeheartedly.

The smile of one who looked into the abyss willingly.

The sun had finally gone down.

"And so it begins..."

The sun had finally gone down. And darkness reigned.

"... And so it begins. The Holy Maiden has to be pleased, that I will be removing one of her blasphemous copies!"

_Man falls down the abyss.  
Turning and twisting, squirming and writhing  
Falling and falling, never stop falling  
Into the darkness he falls  
And behold! He is transformed!  
Turning and turning, spiraling into a pit of despair to become:  
A Monster._

**A/N:**

**Super-fast updates for the win! My migraine has vanished! Hallelujah! Praise the lord...**

**Oh shit, it's back.**

**FUUUUUUUUU- nah just kidding.**

**Regardless...**

**I don't think that Caster would take very kindly to a 'imitation' of his Holy Maiden existing. That has to irk him to the point where he begins acting like a certain arrogant King of Heroes.**

**(Mongrel! Watch your tongue when you speak of the King of Kings!)**

**Naruto also has to be a little annoyed by Waver's wish. Just a little.**

**Naruto and Saber have been working together for something like three weeks before the actual start of the war. They know each other. They worked together, ate together, fought together and are still fighting together. They're friends.**

**For the record, Gawain and the Green Knight is an actual Arthurian legend. It's quite interesting, as is anything to do with King Arthur.**

**Someone commented that I made an unintentional Monty Python reference back in chapter... Three, was it? That was purely unintentional, but I thought I'd just point that out. That's actually kind of funny, lol. Now I'm going to have to make INTENTIONAL Monty Python references...**

**And so, we enter the pits of hell. No regrets. No remorse. No mercy. And so, we shall slay this beast that is 'Writer's Block' and create a new chapter. An epic chapter. A chapter for the ages!**

**This arc is going to be... Interesting. Plot twists. Murder. Violence. Demons. Swords. Swearing.**

**I look forward to the feedback. Remember, every little bit of feedback allows me to make this a bigger and better story. Criticism is welcome.**

**Therefore! I have been Rein Hellfire!**

**This has been F: ZHR.**

**See you all... Next time.**

**Peace!**

**Update 2:**

**Thank you Vandenbz. Edited several mistakes.**


	14. Of Monsters and Men (Part Three)

**A/N:**

**... Shit. I just... I... Garble blargle...**

**I'm in a pissy mood right now, in that this story... It just seems... I mean... I could have done things so much better. So much. Better. Alas, that is not to be. And that saddens me.**

**Writing this story is fun however. Very, very fun. I'm enjoying myself. That's good. I make no profit from the publish of this story. I gain nothing, but the relief of my stress. Ah, that's a good thing.**

**Of course, it could be worse.**

**Of course, real life contributes to my lament. My fat-ass lazy bum of a big brother decided to come over for a visit. He hasn't left. He just sits on my couch, using my computer, and eating my food.**

**I live alone. Okay? The last time I really had any contact with my family was like a few weeks ago, when they came over for a visit. Now, my problem. This lazy bum is just crashing at my place, and he's not doing jack. And I'm still a student...**

**You see my problem?**

**I'm not going to bore you anymore with my real life affairs. I'm just trying to give some explanation as to why I'm kind of in a pissy mood.**

**You know what? Disclaimer. Going now, before I begin rambling. God, this is difficult... But it wouldn't be fun if it wasn't a challenge, eh?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse.**

**You know how sour I am about that? Do you want to know the festering amounts of hatred that I feel about this fact? I am so sour that if I sucked on one-hundred and one lemons per day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year, for the rest of my natural lifespan times ten-thousand, that would equal a trillionth of a zillionth of a billionth of a tenth of a percent of the sheer amount of sourness that I currently feel at this fact. Cave Johnson and his Combustible Lemons have nothing on my sourness.**

**I am sour. About. Life.**

**Sour-patch Kids anyone?**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Twelve: Of Monsters and Men (Part Three)

The pale man smirked.

"It begins... So it begins..."

He cleared his throat.

"Come out, you blasphemous mud-doll! Come out, you imitation! Come forth and be laid out on the ground like the scum you are! I beseech you to appear before me, foul abomination! Come forth and be judged!"

Silence. Nothing, not even the wind blew. The grass was still, the little insects and rodents made no noise. Nothing but the stillness of the night, with that grandiose castle looming above the forest, a veritable guardian of the night.

Caster sneered.

"If you will not come out, then... I will come to you!"

He strode forward, walking in a hunched fashion. His eerie entourage of disheveled dazed children followed, like so many zombies. Their gait was that of a dreamer, of one who was sleepwalking.

"I conjure thee, abomination! You are not fit to wear her face! You are not fit to resemble her holy visage! You shall be purged! Tried, judged, and executed! I shall be your judge, jury, and executioner!"

"You mad dog... You disturb my contemplation for this madness?"

Avenger had arrived.

She walked out of the castle leisurely, calmly. No, she didn't walk. She strode, marched, announcing her presence with every step she took. Her magnificent armor glistened in the moonlight, gleaming flawless metal. Her sword, swung with each step it took, each swing seeming to be a foreshadowing of what that sword could unleash. A sneering helm gazed upon that pale, dank figure in a condescending fashion.

"You're mad. Madder than that Berserker. I don't think anyone would begrudge me if I let my pent up tension out on some raving lunatic, what say you dark one?"

The stench of blood intensified. Where a coppery metallic tang had been present at Caster's arrival, it only increased when Avenger made her appearance.

The red knight stopped some hundred paces away from the Caster. Stopped and pointed her sword at her erstwhile opponent.

"You are, all of you trash. You are, all of you, filth. Please shut up and die by my blade. Would you kindly stand still and be killed?"

Caster smirked.

"If it were that easy, we would not be talking, wouldn't we? Mud-doll."

Avenger scoffed.

"Even if I am wounded, you will not be able to lay a scratch upon me. You pathetic insolent whelp. Shall I tan your hide then, as well as those mewling puppies that you hide behind? How pathetic... Are you a knight or not, Baron Gilles de Rais?"

"Be silent!"

"I do not heed the words of lesser men." Avenger snorted. "I shall kill you now. I grow weary of your ramblings."

And with that, she charged towards the Caster, bellowing a war-cry fit for a Berserker. She quickly closed the distance between herself and her opponent.

Normally, this would be a mis-match. Casters are weak in close quarters. This Caster was particularly weak: He was inferior to an actual magus, in that he was never an actual magus. Normally this would be a mis-match.

However, the Noble Phantasm that Caster owned more than evened the playing field.

The children went rigid. A slight 'clack' noise emanated from their spines. And in an instant, they became monsters.

They exploded into fountains of blood, blood and fleshy gobbets. Bits of meat sprayed every which way, pieces of what used to be hale and hearty human beings.

And then they appeared. Tentacled appendages, covered with the life-fluid of the children emerged, tentacles that had gaping toothed mouths at their ends. These creatures were truly abominations, things that had no right existing in the world.

Monsters.

Avenger slowed in her charge, and regarded the writing mass that were children before her cautiously.

She snarled.

"Abominations. No... Demons."

A tome appeared in the Caster's hands. This was a disgusting book, covered in what appeared to be human skin. It glistened in the moonlight, covered in some sickening fluid. Massive amounts of prana raged about its surface, raging and seething amounts. The thing was something similar to a furnace in the amount of energy it was radiating.

This was Caster's Noble Phantasm.

"Do you really think you can stand against my demonic armies, Mud-doll?"

Avenger looked at the raving man.

"Now, kill her!"

She shook her helmed head slowly.

"The only one who's going to die on this night... is you, mad one."

(Line break Button is broken. Sour.)

Avenger roared as she cut through another one of the demonic army with her silver sword. Hacking and slicing, cutting and swinging. The Avenger was exhibiting master level swordplay. Every strike slew an enemy. Every swing was timed perfectly.

Yet the demonic horde kept coming.

"Coward! You're nothing more than a coward!"

Caster frowned from the sidelines.

"Are you just going to hide behind your minions all day! You're nothing more than a glorified sack of meat!"

"Be silent, creature! ... Tis proof that you are not my Jeanne!"

"Shut up! You're not my mother!"

The demonic horde continued onwards. For, Avenger could not defeat them. She could hold them off admirably, but she could not defeat them.

For every one she 'killed', two more took its place. And so the vicious cycle continued.

"You are dirty! Your nature is of blood and suffering! You're a child of misfortune! You... You're violent, un-noble! You're nothing like my Jeanne, and yet... You dare wear her face? You-"

Avenger snapped.

"I am my own man! I am my own self! I am not a mud-doll! I AM HUMAN AS WELL!"

"You're an imitation!"

"I WILL NOT BE CALLED AN IMITATION BY A MEWLING WHELP!"

"Shut up and die!"

Avenger swung her sword furiously.

"NEVER! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS INSULT!"

"You cannot defeat my demonic horde! What makes you think that you'll be able to land a hand on me, mud-doll?"

"... My face is that of my father's. It is with sorrow that I bear it. And yet... You dare... You dare insult me in such a manner?"

Her helm split and retracted into her armor. Green eyes glared furiously at Caster.

"You gormless, spineless, nerveless worm. I will end you for insinuating that I am a... A copy. A tool. I am my own man. I am my own self. I am no one's tool. And you... You will know blood."

She bared her teeth.

"I. Will. End you."

Caster smirked.

"Come and try, mud-doll."

Avenger roared again, and redoubled her efforts to push through the monstrous army. Yet for all her martial prowess, for all her skill, for all her might and strength, she could not in fact push through.

Slowly, steadily, Avenger was losing.

That was intolerable. This was intolerable, for Avenger.

Bit by bit, she fell back, losing ground to the tentacled things. Slowly, but surely, the sword slowed in its terrible swings. The red knight was tiring from the implacable demons that the deranged Caster had summoned.

Said Caster could only smile at Avenger's weariness..

"Now then, you damned-"

Another armored figure burst onto the battle field. A blade of wind swooshed through the alien figures, dispelling them in a brilliant display of swordplay.

And when the dust had settled, the figure of she who is named the King of Knights could be seen on the battlefield, resplendent in her blue dress and gleaming armor. Golden hair arranged neatly in a bun, emerald eyes were cold and hard. This was a true knight, a knight from a fairytale. The righteous, good knight that slays dragons and saves princesses. The Once and Future King, who was clearly a king by weight of presence alone. Yes, this person was truly a king, that was unmistakable.

Saber had arrived.

"Father... You..."

"Avenger, I would like to propose that we set aside our differences to put down this abhuman beast." The blond replied coldly, hefting her invisible blade. "I for one, cannot stomach some filthy lout that behaves in such a cowardly fashion."

Green eyes bored into green eyes.

"What say you, Avenger?"

The corner of Avenger's mouth twitched upwards.

"Tsk. I swore to take his head. I shall make due on that promise. Very well, Arthur. We kill this weakling. Then we talk."

"That is acceptable." Saber replied.

"Jeanne... My Jeanne... You have returned!"

Avenger raised an eyebrow.

"Jeanne? Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans? Does he actually..."

"Sadly..."

"... Oh that is too rich."

Saber sighed.

"Are we going to kill the unkempt lunatic now, or are we going to be blathering all night?"

"Jeanne! Why are you-"

Saber and Avenger glared at Caster.

"Shut up." They muttered at the exact same time, causing Caster to flinch.

"I'm going to fucking kill you."

"I see... The army will have to go first, correct?"

"Tch. This bastard, hiding behind his minions like a sniveling child, how distasteful. Is he not man enough to face his end?"

"Well then. First to a hundred beheads the lout?"

"I was thinking first to two hundred, but one hundred works as well."

And the two knights, one red, one blue, charged. And it was glorious.

(Line break Button is broken. Sour.)

Caster licked his lips as he stared at the blue knight with needy eyes.

"Jeanne... At last..."

He cackled evilly.

"At last! You've arrived, once again! Show me! Show me that nobility, that braveness, the light! Yes, you are Jeanne d-"

"Shut up, won't you?"

Caster froze at the voice behind him.

"You taint the air with your presence. It is unseemly." Naruto continued. Spiky locks of hair hung over lidded blue eyes. The blond had his hands in his pockets, his back to Caster's back. He was slouching slightly, as if he were completely and utterly relaxed.

Caster started.

"How in the bloody hell did you-"

Naruto raised a finger to his lips.

"Shh... This is not an opportune time for you to talk..."

"Don't-"

"Look at the moon. That white mistress of deception, of mystery and intrigue. Look at the grass, the small things that shriek in the undergrowth, the clattering of branches, the whistling of the wind as it blows through the night. Hear the ringing of steel on steek, the sounds of flesh meeting blade, the cries of knights at war. Look at these sights. Listen to these things, for I can assure you, you will never be able to hear them ever again."

Caster threw a punch at the blond.

"Don't screw with me!"

A flash of golden light, before...

"I have no time for those who kill for the sake of killing."

"What the fuck?!"

Naruto had disappeared, and reappeared behind Caster once again.

"You dog. Normally I wouldn't lower myself to using this technique. It's one of my trump cards, if you will. However, to put down a thing like you... I'll go all out."

Caster trembled.

"What the hell did you do? Was that... Teleportation?" Caster wet his lips nervously. "It doesn't matter. You're just a man! You're just a man!"

"You're despicable. Playing with the lives of children like that. You're a dog, a monster. Unluckily for you, I specialize in hunting monsters. It's my job."

"You're nothing but a puny human! Just disappear like the trash you are!"

He summoned his demons with a wave of his hand. Monstrous, otherworldly figures appeared. To describe them... They were, by nature, inimical to the human mind. Hideous. Abominations. Unclean. Illogical. Not right, they weren't right.

"Even if I'm nothing... There's something you don't know about me."

Blue eyes became pigmented with orange, becoming toad-like.

"I never give up. Even if the odds are against me, even if a god is against me, even if I must bear a burden that no one should bear, I won't. Give. Up."

"Kill him." Caster muttered. "Cease his foolish talk! Slay him!"

The demons closed, uttering alien sounds. Monstrous roars, hideous screeching and squealing. A lesser man would have fled, or been frozen. A lesser man would have pissed himself by now.

The blond stood, stoic.

"I'm going to kill you now. Caster."

A flash of metal. A howl of wind.

Those tentacled things burst apart, torn apart by a silver streak of light, akin to a speeding bullet of sorts.

Three knives were embedded in the ground, buried up to their hilts.

Caster gaped at this.

"You... Filthy parlor tricks won't work on me!"

Naruto chuckled.

"Oh, that's rich, coming from a Caster. Is that all you can do? Summon up your little demons? You have no idea what a real demon is."

The insane man screamed, and began summoning his grotesque underlings. They popped up, one by one, in multitudes. Tens of them, hundreds of these things that came from the pits of tartarus.

"A real demon... Can destroy mountains with a swing of its tail."

Naruto threw a scroll in the air, where it unraveled. From there, he began throwing his three-pointed knives. He'd touch the scroll, unseal the knife from the scroll and throw it. Faster than any normal human should be able to throw or unseal.

An endless stream of cold steel cut through Caster's demons. Normally, these knives would have done little to nothing against the creatures. These projectiles, however, shrieked through the air due to a liberal amount of prana infused into the blade, that caused said blade to gain an enhanced cutting surface.

And because Naruto was auto-reinforcing his limbs...

The blades didn't pierce the tentacled monsters. They tore them in half.

And while Caster's demons were endless, or close to endless, Naruto didn't seem to be running out of blades any time soon.

Eventually, Caster pulled back his forces, regarding his opponent with fear and wariness. Naruto had his kunai in hand, ready to throw.

"Why won't you just die?! Just die! You're... You're just a human, so how...?"

"You're right. I'm just a human. I'm inferior, right? That's how the order of the world works, right?"

Naruto smiled.

"That's entirely true. I'm not the best there is. Saber is stronger than me, physically. She's more skilled than I am in close quarters. Nine times out of ten, she'll kick my ass even if I play dirty. That's just how good she is. Berserker as well, if he weren't holding back at the beginning, I would have died. Lancer is skilled as well. We're about dead even in a physical confrontation. I'm not the best there is. I'm not the strongest. The fastest, the smartest, the most accurate. But..."

His eyes hardened.

"It's still enough to take down your sorry ass."

And then he disappeared in a flash of golden light.

More flashes of golden light. Slicing noises.

Caster watched in shock and horror as a golden haired figure made his way through his demon army, stabbing and slicing and kicking and punching and-

And with a 'squish' sound, a long, straight single-edged chokutō stabbed through the madman's heart, vibrating slightly as it impaled Caster, straight through his back and through the other side of his body, through skin, muscle, spine, muscle, heart, both sternum, muscle and more skin, as it cut its way out of his body, ruining more flesh and organs as it exited the body. Right lung, more muscle and skin. Severed.

Caster gasped, in pain and shock. The large skin-covered tome that he held fell out of his hands, landing on the ground. It quivered as it too was stabbed by the sword.

The Caster fell.

"... How... How... What kind of sword..."

"This sword was made to channel lightning, but wind works as well. I channeled my prana into the blade, making it even sharper, more able to cut through flesh and bone. You feel it, don't you. Your heart, lungs, spine: All severed, cut apart from within your body."

As the blond spoke, he sealed the blood-stained chokutō back inside his scroll.

"Hmm. Going to have to clean that blade."

"That... That's not a normal sword..."

"Nope. It isn't. It's a... Something akin to a very powerful Mystic Code, if you will. It belonged to a man I respected."

Caster wheezed, drowning in his own blood.

"You're not normal... Aren't you? That golden light... Like an avenging angel, sent from heaven...?"

Naruto said nothing.

"Ah... I'm dying... Aren't I?"

The blond began walking away.

"You thought I was a mere, puny human. Drunk on your hubris, blind to the wishes of the world. Wanting something selfish, trying to play God with the lives of others. These are your sins, Gilles de Rais. And the mistake that you, and many other made was this. You underestimated me. And that was your death."

"Hah... Hah..."

"I didn't want to have to go to such lengths, but this was the fastest and most efficient way to end the battle. And I cannot let you live, and ruin the lives of more children."

If he didn't have to, Naruto wouldn't have used Hiraishin. It was a secret trump card, a say to get the jump on his opponent. But in order to kill a madman before he could end the lives of more innocents, he'd go all out.

"... Joan..."

And with that, Caster expired. And that was the first Servant to fall for the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War.

It was really, quite anti-climatic.

"Hmm. That is to be expected. After all, I was an assassin. I don't do dramatic battles, not for scumbags like this guy. I'll finish the job in the most efficient way, if that's the case."

He sighed, and made his way back to where Saber and Avenger were standing.

"Time to wrap things up."

**A/N:**

**... That was really anti-climatic. I looked back at the chapter, and realized: That was pretty... Pretty lame, eh?**

**Ah well, he's an assassin. He doesn't care about the dramatics, so long as he ends the lives of his opponents in the quickest and most efficient fashion. At least, that's my thinking.**

**It was a little bit of a curbstomp. But that is to be expected. Hiraishin is quite OP and Naruto wasn't playing around. Not anymore, not after Caster murdered those children.**

**Pissing Naruto off? Not a good idea.**

**Of course, Saber can still kick his ass in a sword fight. As can Berserker. Because, Naruto is kind of like Gilgamesh the way I'm portraying him. He's an owner of weapons, but he doesn't know how to utilize them to their fullest potential.**

**This chapter could have been better. I revised it like three times already, and this is the result. So, I'm publishing it. Whoo! Whoo!**

**It's really, really short. I may have to do some double-checking, but I'm pretty certain that this is in fact the SHORTEST chapter that I've published for this story. That's not a good thing.**

**The arc isn't over, so don't breath a sigh of relief. I still have plans, and I'm planning for my plans so that my plans will be planned for by the plan.**

**Shameless Plug: I have a blog! Link is on my profile. I am also currently doing a 'Rein Hellfire reads: My Immortal' on said blog. If you want to go check that out, go check that out.**

**... Hmm. Did I cover everything? Yeah, I think I did.**

**Criticism is appreciated. And once again...**

**Rein Hellfire. Signing out.**

**Oh wait. One last thing...**

**OMAKE!**

Omake: Awkward...

"So, does Archer have a thing for blonds?"

Kotomine asked.

The alliance of 'baddies' were situated in their sinister, dark, evil mansion. Tokiomi was present, reclining in a chair and sipping a glass of wine like a baller. Assassin was in the shadows... Like some glorified stalker. And Kirei was standing near the wall, arms crossed.

The red-eyed servant glared at him, peevishly.

"Why do you say that, mongrel?"

"In canon, you go for Saber-"

"Master, you're breaking the fourth wall." Assassin muttered.

"-In this fic, you have an unhealthy obsession with Naruto. Why is that?"

"Hmmph. It is quite simple. The mongrel has powers that normal men do not possess. He has garnered my interest-"

"And we all know what happens to people who garner your interest." Assasssin muttered again.

Archer shot a sword through the Assassin's head, killing him,

"Don't interrupt the king. As I was saying, he is probably a new treasure that I have yet to collect. After all, everything in this world belongs to me. That is the law."

Kirei raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't correspond to any law that I know of."

"The rules don't apply to me, mongrel. I apply to the rules."

Tokiomi raised his glass of wine.

"Your highness, the question remains. Do you... I... How should I say this... That is to say, do you have..."

"Speak your mind, mongrel. My patience wanes."

"Are you gay for Naruto?"

"WHAAAAT! TOKIOMI, you BASTARD! You dare insinuate that about your king!"

"I'm sorry-"

"Besides, I'm not gay! I'm bi-sexual!" Gilgamesh announced proudly, striking a truumphant pose, right arm held out, left hand on armored hip.

Kirei dead-panned.

Tokiomi dead-panned.

Assassin continued bleeding out.

Gilgamesh continued striking that same pose.

"What? It's not like that's unusual. Caster prefers little boys and little girls. And Rider likes men and women. I'm pretty sure that Saber is the same."

"... What."

"Oh come on! It's stated in canon that she fucked the shit out of her half-sister! The fact that she got pregnant with her-"

"TMI."

"Regardless, Saber also falls for some cheap imitator! Why can't I like guys and girls?"

Silence.

Another Assassin incarnation opened the door, and poked his head inside.

"Did I come at the wrong time? Cause... You all are just staring at each other... Are you looking at each other with lovey-dovey eyes. Is this going to turn into a Yaoi-fest?"

Cue dead-pan.

"Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against that sort of thing, it's just that... Yeah, I'll be... Going now. Probably going to die, like the disposable mook that I am,"

"Just get out."

"Mmkay, I'm going now."

The door closed.

Kirei face-palmed.

"That was awkward. Let's change... Let's change the topic, okay?"

"... Sure."

"Just this once, I shall deign to agree with you, mongrel."

**A/N:**

**This was bad. Super bad. **

Omake: Magus

"Naruto, why do you refer to yourself as a magus sometimes, not a ninja?"

The spiky-haired blond raised a finger. He chewed the ramen that he was eating, swallowed.

"Saber, the most logical answer is because I do not wish to be referred to as a ninja. That part of my life is over, done and over, and I don't want to reopen old wounds."

"I see."

"That and being called a magus is way cooler."

Saber started.

"What..."

"You know, it was my childhood dream to become a magic user, right?"

"I thought it was your childhood dream to become hokage."

"Don't argue semantics. Besides, do you really think I agree with what Kishimoto is doing?"

"True... It is quite clear that the author does not agree. Not at all."

"Exactly. Besides, the whole Ninja thing is kinda turning out like vampires. Twilight kind of ruined the entire vampire concept, just as Kishimoto is making Ninja out to be orange-wearing morons."

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Do I look like a moron to you? I beat Lancer's ass. I beat Berserker-"

"You slightly injured him. He wasn't really hurt."

"Don't argue, please. And I just killed Caster! I think that makes me a badass, right?"

"... Not really."

"Oh come on!"

"So... Being a magus is cooler than being a ninja?"

Naruto nodded.

Saber turned to the audience.

"I think I should inform those at home, who are reading this horrible piece of literature-"

**A/N: I take offense to that.**

"- That this was done purely for fun. Nothing more, nothing less. Therefore, this is not canon F: ZHR. And therefore, do not take anything you read in these omakes seriously."

She paused.

"And for the record, vampires are not lame. One word. Hellsing. And Hellsing Ultimate."

She nodded.

"Yes. Hellsing. Vampires are certainly not lame in that verse."

"And the author's views are not necessarily represented in this story!"

"That was a suspiciously specific denial."

**A/N:**

**My views are not necessarily represented in this story. That is a fact. Just putting that out there...**

**If you guys want to write omake for this story, go ahead. Email is on my profile, or you can use the document sending thing that this website has.**

**NOW I'm going**.


	15. Of Monsters and Men (Part Four)

**A/N:**

**Hmm...**

**Well, I'm back. Back! Back! I've got the touch! I've got the pow-ah, yeah, yeah, YEAH!**

**Whoo! Let's get this crap-fest of a chapter going!**

**Fair warning, there is a sort of time-skip in the beginning. Just saying.**

**As for story length, I was thinking somewhere between 30-40 chapters depending on how long I'm making each individual chapter, and how I'm going to pace events.**

**Speaking of story length, I do believe that Season One of this story... Is coming to a close. Explanations on the bottom of the screen, but this is it! I'll run this chapter, and have an Omake section after it, but Season One is officially coming to an end.**

**I think that's it. Is that it? Yeah, that's it.**

**Disclaimer, transform and roll out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse. I don't own anything and everything. I don't even own this story, technically. Sour about that.**

**This is a fan-based... Parody? Tragedy? Horror? Hell if I know. Just know that I don't own jack-all.**

**Please support the official release.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

Chapter Thirteen: Of Monsters and Men (Part Four)+Season One Ending

_Naruto watched Caster's body dissolve, mildly interested in the process._

_"So, that's what happens when a servant dies." He mused. "Interesting..."_

_Caster was dead. Irrevocably, unmistakably dead. Deader than a doorknob, deader than a festering ten-week old corpse._

_(He... He got turned into precipitation. He died, and he flew up into the sky to come down as acid rain, motherfuckah.)_

_Of course, Caster's death wouldn't bring his 'art' back to life. Many, many innocent children had lost their lives to this madman's whimseys. Many lives had been ruined over the past few days._

_But Naruto had made sure that the madman would never take another life. Never again._

_He turned to his servant, noting the daemonic horde that was surrounding her, her and her compatriot._

_The red knight and the blue knight easily tore through the abominations, with swift movements, belying years after years of practice._

_"Beautiful..."_

_It was wondrous swordsmanship, the work of a master. Silver blade and invisible blade cleaved through any and all obstacles, quickly and efficiently. _

_It was then that Caster's Noble Phantasm, Prelati's Spellbook, dissipated._

_And then, it was over. The last of the demons fell, instantly dispelled into large pools of blood._

_Without Caster's Noble Phantasm to reinforce their numbers, they had been dispatched quite handily._

_In fact, Caster was essentially a joke servant. His stats were complete crap, and he was quite insane. In fact, he shouldn't have even qualified for the Caster class. The only redeeming thing that he possessed was his Noble Phantasm._

_With the spell book, hordes of demons from a different dimension could be summoned, and stay summoned as long as they receive prana. To compound mattes, their numbers will never decrease as the flesh of the defeated will instantly spawn new demons to take their place._

_Saber and Avenger both slew about five-hundred, and they didn't even make a visible dent until the end, when Naruto killed Caster, causing the demons to dispel._

_Saber sighed and lowered her sword, before turning a semi-playful glare onto her 'master'._

_"What a buzz-kill..." She sighed. "Did you honestly steal my kill?"_

_"Er..." Naruto laughed a little, before scratching his head sheepishly. "Sorry?"_

_"Arthur, I do believe that I was the one who would have earned the dubious right of beheading that freak." Avenger grumbled._

_"Hmph. You only slew about five-hundred. I know for a fact I slew at least forty more than five hundred." Saber sniffed. "At any rate, I would have won, if my master hadn't decided to butt into our contest." _

_"I said I'm sorry!" Naruto grumbled._

_"Sorry won't cut it. You must make me breakfast. And lunch. And dinner."_

_"..."_

_"And we must spar. __**With**__ swords."_

_Naruto hung his head in shame. _

_"__Oh hell... I'm going to get beaten black and blue..." He muttered under his breath._

_"Yes, you, Naruto Uzumaki, you shall be reprimanded for the ignominious act of kill-stealing. I foresee that we shall have a 'talk' in the near future."_

_Saber turned back to her 'son'._

_"As for you... I do believe that I won our contest."_

_"I slew one hundred faster."_

_"That one didn't count. We both struck it at the exact same time."_

_Avenger purpled slightly. "That is... You... I... Argh!"_

_"Shall we call a draw, then?"_

_Naruto looked on, amused. "Well, nice to see you two getting along."_

_What a mood killer._

_Avenger's expression hardened, lost the semi-amused smirk. "Arthur. You and I must converse, about a great many things."_

_Saber raised an eyebrow. "About...?"_

_"Abo-" Avenger froze._

_"Avenger?"_

* * *

_In the castle, one Kiritsugu Emiya stood._

_"Chance. Yes, this is..."_

_He cleared his throat._

_"By the power of this command-."_

* * *

_A flash of silver. Avenger had blurred forwards, sword in hand, expression of shock and betrayal on her face._

_Naruto remembered staring into bewildered green eyes, feeling something cold slide between his ribs. And then-_

(3 hours after Caster's death)

When Naruto Uzumaki woke up, he was in pain. Great, great, stabbing pain that only came when one was... Well, stabbed.

"Holy fuck, did anyone get the license plate of the truck that hit me?"

The blond tried sitting up, only to wince in pain as he overexerted his muscles.

"That was a terrible idea... I'm such a dumbass..."

Blond locks of hair hit a soft, fluffy pillow with a muffled thump. Naruto took a moment to assess his situation. He was in his room, inside the house that he had purchased and fortified several weeks ago.

He lifted an arm, wincing slightly at the sudden motion. Felt around his chest area-

Ah. There it is. A small mar on his chest, a scar that was healing at a very rapid pace. It wasn't a cut though. It was a stab wound, positioned directly over Naruto's heart. Directly opposite of this wound, on Naruto's back, there would be an almost identical scar.

It was really only a small mark.

It was then that the blond began recalling the events of the past few hours.

Killing Caster.

Walking up to his servant, and his servant's nemesis.

And then...

_By the power of this command seal: Avenger-_

Followed by-

Sword going through his chest courtesy of said servant's nemesis.

Pain. So much pain, unbearable pain. People were shouting, something exploded-

Cold. Naruto had felt cold, a wintery, icy chill. Death's fingers had touched him, for a short while. And then there was blackness. Emptiness.

"I'm still alive. Fancy that..."

There was only one explanation as to his continued existence.

Naruto reached inside his torn, bloodied shirt, and a golden sheath materialized in his hands.

"Ah... Avalon. That explains a lo-"

He hurriedly de-materialized the sheath, and watched the golden particles flow back into his torso.

"Okay, that was a really, really stupid idea." Naruto muttered. "Take the sheath that heals your wounds OUT of your torso, while it's in the process of healing your wounds. Fucking brilliant."

"Ah, Naruto? You're up."

Saber entered the room, garbed in her casual wear. She sighed.

"Really, you shouldn't be moving around like that. Even if Avalon has healed most of your injuries, what you should be doing is getting some rest."

"Avalon... It's quite beautiful, isn't it." Naruto muttered. "And this level of regeneration is-"

Saber sighed.

"To put it bluntly, Avenger 'killed' you. Her sword pierced your heart. Fortunately, Avalon was able to save your life, though it will take about one to two more hours before you're fully healed."

"That's impressive, Saber. As expected of the one who qualifies for the most excellent servant class, to have a Noble Phantasm that can regenerate organs..."

"That's irrelevant. Naruto, can you remember what happened?"

Naruto winced.

"I think, but..."

_By the power of this Command Seal: Avenger, kill Naruto._

"Yes... I remember."

* * *

"So... Avenger was forced to 'kill' me. That is to say, Emiya used a command seal in order to force the matter."

Naruto sighed.

"What happened after I got... You know, stabbed through the heart?"

Saber sighed.

"I... I had to move you away. I made my way to you, implanted Avalon, and then... Moved away, before Avenger could truly follow through on her orders."

"I see."

"It wasn't running. It was a strategic retreat. If I had stayed, and fought Avenger, there was a high probability that you would have died, as Avenger tried to fulfill the orders of the command spell." Saber stated flatly. "Therefore, in order to preserve your life, and make sure that we have a higher chance of winning this war, which we wouldn't if you had died, I carried you back home."

"Ah." Naruto's eyes widened. "But, what about-"

"Berserker covered my exit." Saber replied succinctly. "Remember, he was shadowing us, as per your orders."

"Ah."

"You've been asleep for the better portion of four hours now." Saber got up. "Kariya has prepared breakfast. I will be taking my leave now."

"I see."

"Very well. If that is all-"

"Saber. Thank you for saving my life." Naruto said, quietly.

Saber made no reply, simply standing at the doorway. She looked back at Naruto, piercing jade eyes sweeping over his prone form, before she turned away.

"Naruto. You're welcome. And there's no need to thank me, for a task I would have willingly undertaken. After all, isn't that what friends do for each other?"

And Saber left.

Naruto chuckled as she left.

"Yeah, real friends... They seem to be the ones that pull each other's ass out of the fire."

* * *

"KIRITSUGU! YOU BASTARD!"

Avenger screamed, railed, raged like a twelve-year old playing Call of Duty, or Modern Warfare, or Halo, or... Or (Insert Generic First-person shooter here).

The source of her frustrations? Her infuriating, bastard-of-a-man, heartless cold worm, Kiritsugu Emiya.

"You... You fucker! What the hell!"

Kiritsugu said nothing, merely lit a cigarette and began smoking..

Avenger seized her hair, and tugged wildly, pulling golden locks out with gauntlet-clad fingers.

"Give me a reason, you worm. Give me a reason why I SHOULDN'T carve you into a miserable, blood-soaked carcass fit for nothing but PIG FEED?!"

Kiritsugu held up his arm that still had two command seals inscribed on its skin.

Avenger snarled.

"I'll end you. This I swear. Tread carefully, Kiritsugu Emiya. Those little tattoos are the only things keeping you from total destruction. Mark my words, wretch, if you ever use them all up, I will behead you. I will paint the walls of this castle with your blood, guts, offal, and bile. I will use your spine as a back-scratcher, and I will use your skull as my wine-cup."

Avenger stalked out of the castle, in order to begin venting her frustrations out in the forest. Something or someone was going to die. God save the unfortunate soul of whatever innocent being crossed her path.

Kiritsugu's hand shook slightly as he lowered his cigarette.

Okay, maybe utilizing the command seal in such a manner wasn't such a good idea. Mainly because his servant was now EXTREMELY pissed off at him.

No. That changes nothing. The scenario will pan out as it should.

Kiritsugu scowled, as he took a pull from his cigarette, before exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

It should have worked. It really should have. Naruto Uzumaki should have died.

He was exposed, more exposed than he had been before. Caster's defeat caused him to lower his guard, even if it was only a little bit.

Kiritsugu had seen an opportunity and seized it. Naruto Uzumaki was undoubtedly the most dangerous enemy in the entire war right now. He had the dubious honor of killing a servant. He killed a servant.

Granted, it was Caster who was extremely weak in close quarters, but still... He killed a servant.

"Now... Just what are you going to do now, Naruto Uzumaki?"

Kiritsugu had some major planning to do, if he was to have a glimmer of a hope of defeating this formidable adversary. Anything and everything... He was willing to do anything and everything to win.

Because, the ends justify the means. That was the ideal he lived behind. Kill one to sae ten. Kill ten to save a hundred. Kill a hundred to save a thousand.

* * *

"Damn it!" Kayneth raged, slamming his hand against a table.

Lancer remained still.

The small group was situated inside their hotel base, hearing Lancer's report on Caster's death.

Needless to say, Kayneth wasn't pleased.

"Well, what do you expect, Kayneth?" Sola-Ui muttered bitterly. "It was your own decision to remain in the hotel. After all, we are behind, thanks to your choices."

Kayneth winced.

She was right, they were behind. Kayneth had been forced to use TWO command seals since the war's start. That was... Not good.

He wasn't about to risk Lancer's life again. Hence, why he told the servant to merely observe the battlefield, and not get involved in the fight.

Naturally this displeased Lancer, but for the sake of his master, he would not protest.

"Regardless..."

"Kayneth, you should stop trying to kill Saber or Saber's master. We'd just waste more resources that way. What you should do, is focus on the already weakened enemy. That is to say, kill Avenger first."

Kayneth sighed. Drew a hand over his eyes.

"True, that man doesn't seem to have any interest in attacking me-" He stood abruptly.

"Very well. We're going after Avenger now." Kayneth stood, clenching a gloved fist. "We are not out of this war yet. We're still competing. I will not be upstaged by some impudent heathen, and my upstart whelp of a 'student'.

* * *

"Fucking goddammit!"

Avenger howled, as she continued venting her frustrations. Already, several trees in the forest had been felled, cut to pieces by her sword.

"Stupid meddling old men!"

Another tree fell to the earth with a dull thump, sending up a cloud of dust with its passage. Small birds flew away from the scene of devastation. Woodland animals fled, fleeing on tiny limbs, in an attempt to get away from the avatar of destruction that was wreaking havoc in their home.

Avenger was royally, royally pissed.

"No! No! You... You..."

She raised her head to the sky, and howled one name. One accursed name.

"KIRITSUGU EMIYAAAAA!"

Line break

And so it was that a bedraggled, thoroughly beaten- up blond-haired man made his way into the dining room of the Uzumaki household.

"Ah, Naruto. There you are." Kariya greeted the blond jovially.

In a corner, Berserker merely inclined his head, before retaking a more contemplative pose.

Saber nodded to her master as she sipped a cup of tea, though Naruto could just tell that his fellow blond was still slightly pissed at him, if the tic on the left side of her face was anything to go by.

It was then that he felt someone hugging his legs.

"Sakura? What are you doing?"

The small girl looked at him with wide, slightly empty eyes. Although, they weren't as empty as they were a few days ago.

Yes, Zouken Matou did get what was coming to him. In fact, he probably deserves an even harsher punishment.

* * *

In a burning mansion, a blackened, burned human body's hand twitched slightly, before being consumed by black flame once more.

Unfortunately, it hasn't even been a week yet. Poor, poor Zouken-

...Wait never mind. Who cares about that guy anyways?

* * *

"You got hurt badly just now. So, I'm hugging you to make it feel better." Sakura blinked owlishly. "Isn't that what people do for each other?"

Naruto smiled.

"Yeah... That is, isn't it..."

"Thank you for helping Uncle Kariya." The small girl muttered.

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Eh... It's nothing."

Kariya smirked.

"Yes, thank you Naruto." He snarked, sarcastically.

"Oh shut it you."

"Though, I am curious: Should you be up so soon? I saw you getting carried in. Did Caster really do that much damage to your body? That was... That was a very, very large amount of blood..."

Naruto winced.

"It wasn't THAT bad. Caster was actually really easy to take down. He was weaker physically and mentally. Being essentially insane doesn't really improve one's decision making skills."

Berserker shifted slightly in his corner.

"Well, you certainly have a point." He muttered. "Being insane really doesn't aid the decision making process."

Naruto sighed.

"Regardless, the man is dead now, though it was quite an ordeal. While he wasn't physically strong, his Noble Phantasm more than made up the difference. That army of abominations was endless. For every one that I killed, two more would take its place. Not to mention that they spewed an infernal corrosive mist from their innards. If I hadn't been reinforcing my limbs and internal organs to the fullest, I would have succumbed quickly."

"Ah, so how did you..."

"I couldn't let them close, so I took them apart from long-range." Naruto replied. "By the way, I killed about a hundred, Saber."

"Naruto, I'm surprised you killed such a paltry number. I would have expected you to kill more." Saber observed clinically.

"Killing Caster took precedence. I wasn't going to play around as much, not after what he did." Naruto muttered.

"Speaking of Caster... I do believe you owe me, for stealing my kill." Saber grumbled.

"Ah... Ehehe..."

Saber stood. Walked over to where Naruto was seated.

"Naruto. Stand."

Naruto stood, eyebrow raised quizzically.

"What?"

"Please forgive me for my improper conduct."

"... What?"

Saber then proceeded to flick Naruto in the forehead with her index finger,

"Ow!"

"That is retribution for stealing my kill."

Another flick.

"Ow!" Naruto held his stinging cheek.

"That is retribution for letting yourself get stabbed by Avenger, and acting like everything is okay."

And then...

Saber hugged Naruto, briefly, awkwardly, before making her way back to her seat.

"And that is retribution, for making me worry about you."

She then took another sip from her tea.

"I believe that hugs are in fact a way to show affection to a friend. Is that not correct?"

Sakura nodded.

"Shall we begin eating now. I believe it is time to consume breakfast."

Naruto just stood in slight shock.

_I think... Saber just channeled her 'Dark' side..._

* * *

Berserker was puzzled.

King Arthur of the past would never, ever HUG anybody.

Nope. Not happening.

King Arthur didn't show emotions. King Arthur wasn't really human.

So... Who was this... This girl. This person who would berate her 'master' so?

_No... This isn't a 'master' and 'servant' relationship. This is something like a bond of 'brothers' or 'best-friends'._

_She certainly is much more relaxed than before. Definitely, much more relaxed. Not to mention..._

"I punished you because you're a kill-stealing idiot."

"Saber, you weren't in any position to kill Caster."

"I could have handled it."

"..."

"Not to mention, you really are childish. I'm sorry, Naruto, but that is true."

"Bugahw?!"

"You and I both know that's true. You're childish and immature to a fault, and your actions could have cost us both the war. Getting stabbed by Avenger... If I did not have Avalon, you would have died."

Naruto winced.

"But... But you did have Avalon. So, it's fine, right?"

"Naruto, as your servant it's my prerogative to care for your well-being. Getting stabbed through the heart is generally not good for one's health. In fact, your very actions during your battle with Caster were rash."

"Saber-"

"It was not necessary to grand-stand. You should have killed him quickly, and then left the battlefield."

"There was an army in the way!"

"Irrelevant. You utilized an anti-army technique, if I recall. Your argument is null and void."

"..."

_Since when did King Arthur begin bantering with others?_

Berserker cleared his throat.

"If I may, I would like to ask a quick question to you, Naruto."

The blond lazily waved a hand.

"Go on."

"What were your motives in killing Caster? Did you do it for the command seal?"

Naruto sobered.

"I did it to prevent him from killing more innocents. Men should not be involved in the affairs of heroes, or monsters. What Caster did was reprehensible. He killed for the sake of killing. There was no gain. There was no reason. He was a monster among monsters, so he had to be put down before he involved more people."

Berserker nodded.

"I see..."

Just one step closer to solving the mystery that was Naruto Uzumaki.

_Hmm. So he has a strong sense of justice, or at least a strong understanding of justice and morals._

_Intriguing._

* * *

And so, Berserker managed to corner Saber in a secluded room, to begin his questioning.

Saber nodded to him as he entered the room.

"Sir Lancelot."

"My King." Berserker cleared his throat. "I was wondering. What is your relationship with Naruto Uzumaki?"

"And you ask this question... Why?"

"Because of your personality, or to be more specific, the changes in your personality. Te King I knew wouldn't banter with his men. The King I knew wouldn't have slapped or hurt, or hugged his 'Master'. The King I knew... That King didn't appear to be a happy king."

He stared at Saber, who stared back defiantly.

"Therefore... Who is this man?"

Saber sighed, and shook her head slightly, blond cowlick waving about in the air.

"Is this truly, that important?"

"It is."

Saber said nothing, merely looked out a window at the rising sun, steadily climbing to its rightful place in the heavens.

"I did not like Naruto Uzumaki at first." She said suddenly. "He seemed to me like a pompous, childish, immature, hyperactive idiot that was good for nothing but cannon fodder. In essence, he was an idiot. At least, that was my first impressions of him during the first two days after my summoning."

She took a breath.

"I deferred to him, as was my duty. But that was it. Our relationship was nothing but 'master' and 'servant', nothing more, nothing less. During the third day, I gained some true respect for him however."

Saber rested her chin on her hand.

"Naruto hunts Dead Apostles and Sealing Designates for a living, you see. He takes on the most brutal, bloody, and horrifying jobs. And he pulled me along, allowed me to fight beside him. The first battle was in a village in... England. Cheddar, I believe. A rogue Dead Apostle in the garb of a priest had formed an army of ghouls from the village's inhabitants. There were no survivors."

Her lips thinned.

"He gained my respect, because he could _fight_. And fight well. He lost most of his playful, cheerful demeanor, became more professional. Though, that didn't stop him from making 'funny' quips, and in general, acting like an idiot."

Berserker chuckled.

"I think that day was the first time I had ever fought back to back with anybody. And so it was that this man named Naruto Uzumaki garnered some respect, grudgingly given, for his abilities in combat."

"Ah, but... You two seem quite close..."

"I came to this realization: It was nice having someone at your back, someone who could cover for you. That arrangement allowed me to be more efficient in battles, allowed me to fight harder and better."

Saber continued.

"Not to mention, Naruto was almost annoyingly nice. Always trying to get me to socialize, always wanting me to 'Get out more'. Showing me sights from this world, the 'modern' world, acting as if I was a friend to him..."

She twitched.

"He was just so cheerful all the time. Even with his 'work', he never really lost that upbeat, optimistic attitude. It only faltered once or twice. He wormed his way under my defenses. Eventually I asked why he acted so cheerful most of the time. He told me, 'Would you rather I acted all emo and angsty and did nothing but waste away my life? If I can still do something with my life, I'll do it. Even if this life of mine is but one in several billion'. "

Saber sighed.

"Our friendship... It was born from mutual respect. I respected Naruto for his combat skills, but there was something else in there too. Naruto doesn't understand the concept of giving up. In combat, he won't stay down, no matter how hard you push him, when he trains, he trains to the breaking point, to the point where lesser men would turn away in disgust. Everything he does, everything he says, is done with such conviction..."

Saber trailed off.

"And he admired me, for being 'A paragon of justice'. That is to say, he envied me, for being King Arthur. For being a role-model, a hero, for leaving behind a positive legacy. For being a proud, good king that can't do wrong. Naruto Uzumaki thought of me as a hero."

"That's how our friendship was born. I respected him for his combat skills as well as having the willpower to never give up, and he respected me for my own combat skills, as well as my 'Incorruptible morality' and ideals."

"And gradually, I began to open up, and enjoy myself. There was combat, oh there was combat. But the war hadn't started, and that was a real sticking point- The Fourth Heaven's Feel hadn't started yet. Therefore, we were allowed some leeway, some free time before the start. And I began to banter, to socialize, to allow myself to be dragged out to the cities and towns of the world. For a brief period of time, I was allowed to enjoy myself, and I did enjoy myself."

"Gradually, I stopped seeing him as my 'master'. I couldn't see him as my master. He insisted on calling our relationship a partnership, and so I acceded. And I... I suppose it hasn't been that bad. Not bad at all. Our friendship was born from our partnership, which was born from mutual respect."

"I'm wondering though... What kind of a man is he?"

"Naruto? He's... Well, he's Naruto. You cannot really categorize Naruto, because he's so... Immature yet professional. Powerful, but weak. Outgoing yet withdrawn. That's what being human is, I suppose. To be a bag of contradictions that cannot be categorized. But Naruto? I know one thing about him. No matter what he says, he's really not a bad guy."

* * *

_"You know, Saber? Do you want to hear my dream?"_

_"Yes, master?"_

_"You know... I'd really... One thing that I'd like is to have a world where everyone can smile, freely and happily. A world where no one would have to be sad. A world in which everyone is free to smile."_

_Saber shifted uneasily._

_"Is that a good dream, Saber?"_

_"A world where everybody could be happy, huh?"_

_"It's such an impossible thing. Kind of like a childish dream, huh? But that would be nice... A world where everyone can smile."_

_"That's not such a bad dream, master."_

_"Speaking of smiling... You should smile more."_

_"Master?"_

_"Well, you always have this... This look on your face. This impassive, emotionless look. You should try to smile some more. Smiling is a way to express happiness."_

_"I don't see..."_

_"Ah well. You know what they say though, smiles are infectious. By acting happy, maybe one can make the ones around him happier, and maybe make the world a better place, little by little. That's some naive, childish reasoning though, isn't it, Saber?"_

_"Hmm..."_

_"Saber?"_

_"Smiling is a way to express positive emotion. I see..."_

* * *

A wide grin stretched across Saber's face.

"Yes. I cannot say... That I am unhappy in my present situation."

Maybe that line of reasoning was a little childish. Maybe it was a little naive.

You can't say it's a bad path though.

Berserker grunted.

"I see. Well then... That's all I needed."

And with that, he left. Saber watched her loyal knight leave, before returning to her own thoughts.

She could honestly say she cared for the blue-eyed blond, as one who had fought by her side.

As a knight, it was her duty to worry about her master's safety, more so because she was a 'servant' to her 'master'. This was different though.

When Naruto had been stabbed, that had been a horrifying moment. Naruto was an accomplished warrior, she knew that much for certain. And he had never, ever suffered a wound like that, as far as she could tell.

It was horrifying, to have him 'die' to Avenger's blade. Avalon saved his life, but in any other circumstance, the blond would be dead, and Saber...

Saber would be gone. Gone, and no chance of claiming the Holy Grail would have been had. Naruto would have died, and she would have gone,

That had been quite shocking.

And that was why she berated her master for being such an idiot. Because she didn't enjoy seeing him hurt, just as he didn't enjoy seeing her hurt. Because, at some point in time, she had began seeing past the 'servant-master' relationship. Because, at some point in time, she began caring for her master's wellbeing beyond thatnwhich was required of her duties.

And that's why she flicked his forehead, hugged him. Because she began to genuinely care.

And that kind of frightened her, that this overly cheerful blond would somehow become a fixture in her life, a friend, a brother in battle. She didn't know how to handle having a _friend_ of all things.

Put her in a battle? Okay.

Have her oversee a country? Okay.

Arranged marriage to another woman? Okay.

Understanding another person's feelings and trying to figure out just how they managed to worm their way into your heart, and just why you actually care?

That's hard.

Saber could berate Naruto because she understood (Or was trying to understand) him, because he was familiar. And so, because Naruto was a friend, she had a vested interest in his survival.

Because, she suddenly found herself caring. Naruto was her partner. Master. Friend. Sparring partner. Chef.

One thing was for certain though. Kiritsugu Emiya was the one who hurt Naruto. Not Avenger. Avenger was an accessory to the crime. Kiritsugu was the real culprit.

Kiritsugu was the real enemy, for injuring her friend.

Kiritsugu was about to have a rude wake-up call.

* * *

Naruto squinted at the large figure that barred his path.

"Berserker? What are you doing...?"

The large, purple-haired servant was scrutinizing Naruto closely, examining him, dissecting him with sharp, stern eyes.

Naruto shivered.

Abruptly, the man pulled away.

"I approve."

... Before walking away.

Naruto itched his head, confused by Berserker's actions.

"... What?"

**A/N:**

**HOOOOOLY fuck.**

**Whoo! Butchering of characters! Whoo! God, I feel so damn bad. I thought I wrote in character, but I'm not really sure...**

**Fuck.**

**At any rate...**

**Kiritsugu seems like the kind of guy who would be a complete dick and decide to ruin a heart-felt moment. He seems like that kind of guy.**

**Avenger, well... She has to be sour about getting her kill ninja'd and then Kiritsugu ruining her almost-but-not-quite-heart-felt moment.**

**Saber seems a little OOC, which is to be expected. Really, she spends three weeks with one of the most charismatic characters ever. I mean, in canon the guy could talk enemies into surrendering. And she somehow became friends with this charismatic, lucky idiot.**

**She has to be a little upset that Kiritsugu ordered Avenger to stab Naruto through the heart. Just a little. She suddenly finds herself caring a lot more than she should. **

**And she has to be a little upset that Naruto stole her kill. Just a little...**

**Personally, I can totally see a F:ZHR Saber slapping Naruto for acting like a complete dumbass, simply because it's all done in fun. There's not really any venom behind it, it's kind of like your best friend stopping you from doing something completely and totally idiotic.**

**Naruto respects Saber, for being a strong King, one that follows her ideals with conviction. A just, kind king. Whereas... Well, Naruto doesn't understand how to die. That's how their friendship started.**

**I might do a side-story (Side-stories) on how Saber and Naruto bonded over the three week period. I might.**

**Anyways... I think I'm going to call an end to Season One of F:ZHR here. It just seems like a good place to end. I'll get a 'Season One conclusion' uploaded sometime soon, with an afterword and all of the omake that I received (Serfius, this means you), as well as an updated stat-sheet.**

**My apologies if this chapter is sub-standard. I literally wrote the thing in the dead of the night, so if it's really, really bad I can take it down and upload a better version.**

**Criticism appreciated.**

**I'm going now. I'm dead tired.**

**-Rein Hellfire**


	16. Season One: After the Season

**A/N:**

**Sigh...**

**Well, it's time folks. Time to wrap up the season. Sadly.**

**Nooooooo!**

**Ah well, Season Two is in the works! Whoo! Whoo!**

**So. This is kind of a thing to wrap up the first thirteen chapters of this story.**

**It consists of:**

**- A basic timeline of the war, so far.  
- An Omake section.  
- A preview of the next season.  
- An afterword, by yours truly.  
-Q and A: Ask questions, and I answer them.**

**An updated Stat-sheet should be uploaded around the same time as this epilogue.**

**Here we go. Same drill you all should know by now. Running the disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the Nasuverse.**

**You know, a funny thing happened the other day. Someone asked if they could do a spin-off of this story. I said 'Heck yes! I don't own jack-all, right?'**

**Seriously though, anybody wanting to do a variation of this idea? Go for it.**

**WARNING: OOC (some parts), incomplete understanding of lore(feedback appreciated on this topic: I'll check out the wikis or something later.), obviously AU, and probably some emo-ness/angst going on. I am not a professional. Just putting that out there.**

**Viewer discretion is advised.**

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Timeline:

Keep in mind, this is a work in progress. It's not perfect, and it really needs some revising...

-8 Years before the start of the Fourth Heaven's feel: Ilyasviel Von Einzbern born to Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel Von Einzbern.

-3 Years before the start of the Fourth Heaven's feel: Kirei Kotomine is chosen as a master for the Holy Grail War.

-2 years before the start of the Fourth Heaven's feel: Naruto Uzumaki arrives in the Nasuverse, courtesy of a dimension-hopping vampire.

-1 year before the start of the Fourth Heaven's feel: Kariya Matou strikes a deal with his uncle, to become the Matou master in the Holy Grail War.

-3 weeks before the start of the Fourth Heaven's feel: Zelretch steals the Einzbern catalyst, Avalon. Naruto Uzumaki summons Arturia Pendragon as servant Saber.

-1 day before the start of the Fourth Heaven's feel: Waver Velvet summons Alexander the Great as servant Rider; Kiritsugu Emiya summons Mordred as servant Avenger; Tokiomi Tohsaka summons Gilgamesh of Uruk as servant Archer; Kariya Matou summons Lancelot du Lac as servant Berserker.

-0 days before the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel: Uryuu Ryounosuke summons Gilles de Rais as servant Caster.

-On the night after the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel: Archer kills an 'Assassin', and confronts Naruto and Saber. Kirei seeks protection in the church,

-1 day after the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel: A battle at the docks of Fuyuki City, involving Naruto, Saber, Lancer, Rider, Archer, Avenger, and Berserker.

-2 days after the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel: Naruto strikes an accord with Kariya Matou. On that night, he and his servant assault Matou Mansion, burning it to the ground. Byakuya Matou, Sakura Matou, and Zouken Matou are all involved in the incident. Byakuya Matou's fate is unknown (Presumed to have died in the blaze). Sakura Matou is abducted. Zouken Matou's fate is unknown (Presumed to have died in the blaze).

-3 days after the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel: Lancelot, Sakura, and Kariya join the Uzumaki household.

-4 days after the start of the Fourth Heaven's Feel: Caster attacks the Einzbern Castle. Caster is subsequently killed by Naruto Uzumaki. Kiritsugu Emiya utilizes a command seal in an attempt to kill Naruto. Naruto's life is saved by Avalon.

The second season will begin on the sixth day.

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Omake! Omake! Omake!

**A/N: **

**Man, I really have too much time**.

Denied: By Rein Hellfire

Naruto squinted at the large figure that barred his path.

"Berserker? What are you doing...?"

The large, purple-haired servant was scrutinizing Naruto closely, examining him, dissecting him with sharp, stern eyes.

Naruto shivered.

Abruptly, the man pulled away.

"..."

"Erm... What?"

"Yo... N... Ba..."

Naruto cupped his hands over his ears.

"YOU SON OF A SLUT-BAG!"

"What the fuck?!"

"You... You're not worthy! You can never touch those creamy thighs, that smooth skin, those supple-yet-small breasts! I won't allow it!"

Berserker ran away.

Naruto itched his head, confused by Berserker's actions.

"... Da fuck?"

**A/N:**

**-_-'**

Interview with Lancer: By Rein Hellfire

I clear my throat, and begin to question (read: interrogate) my subject (read: victim)

"So, Diarmuid-"

"Lancer. Please call me Lancer. I want to keep things professional."

"Right... Lancer. How do you feel about your chances in the Grail War."

The handsome servant sighed.

"Well, I'm feeling kind of optimistic. I mean, I may have been summoned by a shitty, bastard master, and have to live with a fan-girl of fan-girls, but overall... Things are looking pretty good. I mean, I'm not dead yet."

"Oh?"

"Don't you know? Lancers have the shittiest luck. I wasn't the first one to die. Typically, Lancers are the first ones to die."

I sweat-drop.

"Right..."

"Except this time, CASTER died first! That's pretty... Pretty awesome, yeah?"

"... Uh-huh."

"Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good about my odds right now... Hey, why is there a shadow over me?"

Indeed, there was a shadow over him. Strange, it was shaped like a... piano?!

Oh fuck-berries.

And that was how Lancer died. From a random piano, falling out of a plane.

Lancers really have the worst luck.

**A/N:**

**Lancer died!**

**You're not human!**

**And the moral of the story is... If you summon Lancer?**

**(In canon Fate/Zero, Kayneth dies horribly after getting his magic circuits torn apart AND getting paralyzed. In Fate/Stay Night Bazette gets an arm chopped off. Both were masters of the servant Lancer.)**

**... Just don't summon Lancer.**

Underused characters: By Rein Hellfire

"You know," Kirei Kotomine began. "We haven't made an appearance in a while."

Tokiomi Tohsaka grunted. The 'Evil Four' were lounging in Tokiomi's mansion. Specifically, in his library.

Assassin said nothing, merely threw knives at flies. A golden sword through the head ended that train of thought.

Gilgamesh smirked from where he was reclining on a golden throne like a baller, and closed his Gate of Babylon.

"Fools. The author wouldn't forget about the King of Heroes. Surely the insolent mongrel wouldn't do such a thing. Right?"

"Er..."

"Oh come on! We got an omake!"

"..."

"Damn, you're right. We're really underused..."

Cue black cloud of depression.

**A/N:**

**Actually a real problem. With so many characters, sometimes I 'forget' about them. Sour.**

The Burning: By Rein Hellfire

In the desolate ruins of his mansion, one Zouken Matou screamed out in agony.

Yep, he's still on fire.

Only three more days to go, Zouken. Only three more days.

Wait. Three or four?

Ah well, trash is trash, right?

**A/N:**

**Lol.**

The amount of failure in this Omake...: By Rein Hellfire

"Ahem... Naruto knows hiraishin, right?" Kariya asked.

"... Yes." Berserker replied.

"Okay. And Hiraishin is called the 'Flying Thunder God' technique."

"... Yes?"

"And the god of thunder in Greek Mythology is Zeus."

"Kariya, are you alright? Do you still have worms in you?"

"Hold up, hold up... So, Zeus had a daughter named Athena."

"... What."

"And Athena used a sword, probably."

"... What."

"Everyone had a sword back then. So, Saber uses a sword."

Berserker put his helmet on.

"Not listening..."

"So... Saber is Naruto's daughter, and Naruto is Zeus! It makes perfect sense!"

"Kariya, just how high are you-"

It was then that Naruto flew by, dressed in a toga, wearing golden laurels, and throwing... Thunderbolts.

"FEAR ME! I AM ZEUS! GOD OF LIGHTNING AND STUFF! FEAR ME, AND FEAR MY LASER FACE!"

"..."

"..."

Cue sweat-drop.

It was then that a massive laser beam slammed into the crispy corpse of one Zouken Matou.

**A/N:**

**That was really fucking bad. It was worse than bad...**

**Running the Omake sent to me by Serfius now.**

Kill Stealing Bastards!: By Serfius

Mordred's eye was twitching. Badly. She had been fighting this madman's grotesque army for several hours, slaughtering countless monsters. She had endured Gille De Rais' demented taunts as she tried to finally reach that insufferable, bug eyed lunatic. She had vowed that she would take his head. Then out of nowhere comes her father and that man she envied above all.

Despite everything, the building exhaustion, the frustration at Caster's continued life, the un-healable wound in her arm, she had felt a brilliant flare of happiness at seeing her father's glorious entrance. At moments like these she could imagine that King Arthur was there just for her. To save her child from the villains of the world.

And finally, Mordred would be able to slay an enemy of note, and witnessed by her father no less. Not just one of the hundreds of unnamed, insignificant soldiers, vagabonds, bandits, raiders, and all other types of unsavory people, but someone who actually posed some modicum of threat and infamy.

In her life as a Knight of the Round, she had never been able to make a significant kill on the field of battle. She had come close many times, but unfortunately for her, the Table was host to a bunch of jackasses. They would always, without fail, come in at the end of her fight with a leader of the enemy forces and totally steal her kill!

_Mordred's sword was about to gut the leader of this Saxon army. It had been a tough fight, but she finally maneuvered the enemy general into a position of vulnerability. Then, out of seemingly nowhere an arrow was embedded directly into the man's head, through the temple. Looking around she quickly identified the culprit. Sir Tristan. Waving his hand merrily with a wide, shit eating grin on his face._

"You kill stealing bastard!"

_Mordred standing over the leader of a particularly vicious band of raiders, who had been terrorizing villages all over the kingdom for several years, her sword poised to stab down, straight into his heart. Just as the sword began its descent, a burly, tank of a man by the name of Sir Bors barreled straight into her, screaming, "Watch out!" Before his massive battle axe chopped the prone man completely in two. Mordred gaped at the man and his clearly fake warning._

"You kill stealing bastard!"

_Mordred in a struggle of strength, sword pushing against sword, with a Saxon berserker. Quickly broken up by Lancelot riding by and casually lopping off the guy's head, not even slowing his horse down._

"You kill stealing bastard!"

_Mordred standing her ground on the only bridge leading into the village behind her. There were perhaps fifty bandits in front of her, and another thirty armed with bows behind them. She was alone her, having been selected to escort Merlin on one of his expeditions, meaning there were no Knights of the Round here to steal her kills. Then a massive fireball fell from the sky, completely engulfing the entirety of the enemy forces. Slowly turning around, she faced the expectantly grinning face of King Arthurs most trusted advisor._

"You kill stealing bastard!"

But of course, she had never thought that her father's master, that man named Naruto, who had the very thing Avenger wanted most, her fathers attention, couldn't be satisfied with that. He had to go and utterly decimate Caster before she could even take a single swing at the magician.

Saber mentally counted back as she watched Avenger, "3…2…1…" eagerly awaiting the inevitable outburst.

"You kill stealing bastard!"

**A/N:**

**I loved this one. Obviously, Saber and Avenger, hell even Lancer, Archer, Berserker and Rider wouldn't be happy about getting their kill stolen.**

**Assassin and Caster don't count, because one is a disposable mook and the other is dead.**

**By the way, the formatting got screwed up on this one, for some strange reason. I blame the website. So, I had to do some editing. Sorry about that.**

The Experiment: By Serfius

For awhile now Naruto had been dying to test something out. If anyone knew what Naruto was thinking, they'd either believe him to be completely insane or the most magnificent SOB ever, but there was not a single person alive in the modern world that could resist this particular temptation.

When Naruto had first summoned King Arthur as his servant, he knew this was inevitable. But upon learning that Mordred was also summoned as Avenger, and later on the Berserker was Lancelot, his mad ingenious plan further evolved.

Very discretely, Naruto approached Kariya and Kiritsugu. The masters of Berserker and Avenger respectively. They both had quite amusing reactions and weren't difficult to convince to participate. Despite the war that was currently in action, neither could afford to ignore this opportunity.

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Kariya was flipping through channels on Naruto's television when said man sat down next to him on the couch. He felt Naruto's intense stare burning through his skull, so he hesitantly turned towards him… and quickly jerked back upon seeing the mischievous grin on the blondes face. A grin that promised to bring no end of grief, and was probably a sign that something somewhere was going to go horribly and irrevocably wrong for someone at some point in the near future.

Frightened, Kariya reluctantly asked "Is there something I can help you with Naruto-San?"

The blondes mad grin only grew. "Tell me Kariya-San. Are you familiar with the works of Monty Python?"

Kariya frowned in confusion. "Yes," he said slowly, "but what does that have to do with anyth-" He abruptly stopped speaking, his eyes having shot wide open, the whites visible all around his pupils.

"You're not."

The grin widened even further. "I am. You in?"

Kariya gave a helpless shrug. "I must."

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Naruto stared at the door to the mansion he knew Kiritsugu was staying in. Suddenly he began banging on it with both fists, looking much like a child throwing tantrum.

"Kiritsugu, I have to talk to you! Once in a lifetime opportunity man!"

This carried on for almost an hour, Naruto flailing and screaming his head off trying desperately to get the Magus Killer's attention. The door was beginning to look very sad.

Kiritsugu, who had been aiming his sniper rifle straight at the door, expecting Naruto to bust it down like he had at the Matou Manor finally gave up and gestured to Mordred to open the door and deal with the enigma.

Mordred, who's temper had been building throughout this entire ordeal, ripped the door off its hinges and nearly headbutting Naruto as she jammed her face as close to his as her helmet would allow.

"What do you want!?"

He responded very casually, as if he weren't just wailing like a toddler in tantrum, and her helmet wasn't crushing his nose, and there wasn't a very battered door being held above his head by an extremely irate servant. "Hey Mordred, is your master here? I have something to speak with him about."

"Maybe, but why shouldn't I just crush you here and now?"

Naruto jiggled a small white flag. "Because I come under the protection of the white flag of peaceful dialogue. Despite everything, you Sir, are a Knight, and will uphold the meaning of this flag." He said, emphasizing the Sir, as the proper form of addressing a knight.

Still frowning under her helmet, Mordred turned to Kiritsugu. He stared for a few moments before speaking.

"Check him for weapons, then let him approach."

After a thorough pat down by a Mordred who was very thankful for her helmet, Naruto was finally able to approach Kiritsugu.

The magus hunter spoke first, "Why are you here?"

"Like I was saying at the door. The opportunity of a lifetime is within our grasp."

"Yes, I am aware of that." Kiritsugu ground out, "We are fighting for the Holy Grail. An event that takes place only once every sixty years."

Naruto waved his hand in front of his face, "No, not that Kiritsugu. We currently have summoned three key figures in Arthurian legend. And I'm very curious about something."

Kiritsugu immediately latched onto something Naruto said, "Three? Who's the third?"

"Berserker as Lancelot, but that's not what I'm here about. There is something that we, as people of the modern world, are obligated to test out."

Before Kiritsugu could respond, Naruto had grabbed his shoulder and began whispering his plans to the Magus Killer. Mordred, Maiya and Irisviel watched closely, looking for any sign of betrayal, but Kiritsugu didn't look at all distressed. He looked very intrigued by whatever Naruto was saying.

Naruto left Team Avenger intact, with Kiritsugu soon explaining what was going to happen to Maiya and Irisviel. They had preparations to make in order to maximize the results of this experiment. Mordred was very annoyed that she was kept out of the loop.

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Servants Saber, Berserker, and Avenger found themselves all in a park of all places. None of them had any clue that their opponents would be there as well, they had each been brought by their masters. Saber had been particularly easy to convince upon being told Naruto had prepared a feast of a picnic for them.

Before any fighting could break out, each master used a command seal to guarantee there would be no fighting by these three servants against each other or their masters.

The servants, shocked into silence by such a frivolous use of a command seal could only listen in silence as Naruto spoke.

"So, I'm sure you're all confused by now, so let me explain. I, and the others here all believe that it's about time you all sat down and talked out some of your problems." Naruto pulled out a large storage scroll from the basket he was holding.

"To facilitate this, I have cooked us all some food. Eating always makes things less awkward."

A small hill of food appeared, completely dominating the attention of the mighty warriors.

"Now get to it, or we'll use another Seal to make you."

As the servants dug in, completely forgetting about fighting for the moment, Kiritsugu approached Naruto.

"Naruto-San, you seem very knowledgeable of obscure fields of study. Can you tell me anything about this?" Kiritsugu asked, handing Naruto a small sheet of paper.

"Ah, it's an old old language. It says, "Ni""

Abruptly, all movement from the servants halted. It was as if the servants had been frozen in time. Food paused half way to their mouths. Jaws stuck mid chew.

Kiritsugu continued the test, "Ni?" A huge jerk from all three servants. Their eyes now trained in complete terror on the two Magi. They pretended not to notice.

"That's right, Ni. Based on what I could find on it, it seemed to be some weird summoning spell for shrubberies. Ni. How is Ni, supposed to summon a shrubbery? Ni, Ni, Ni! Nothing. Maybe we're just doing it wrong and we need to practice." With each time Ni was uttered, the Servants grew more pale, and more terrified. Lancelot looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Avenger had frightened tears filling her eyes, Saber seemed to have shrunken in on herself, half cowering, and all were shaking uncontrollably.

As Naruto's mouth opened again, the table the Servants were sitting at disintegrated as they all launched at Naruto in a desperate tackle attempt.

"Don't say it again master I beg you!" Saber was on her knees clutching at the hem of his shirt. "That word is too dangerous to be uttered by one not trained to handle its immense power. Not even Merlin could use that spell."

The other servants were quickly nodding along to Sabers plea, their heads almost blurring at the speed.

Two moments later, all the non servants present burst into laughter, even Kiritsugu. Irisviel was clutching at a bench in an effort to remain upright, Illia was rolling around on the grass, and Maiya was bent double, clutching at her gut.

"Oh my god, I can hardly believe their reaction!" Naruto gasped out "That was great, I'm so glad we did this!" He quickly fell backwards onto the ground, still laughing his ass off.

The servants all slowly stood back up, glaring darkly at those laughing so hysterically. "You are tampering with powers you do not comprehend. You utter that word at the peril of both yourselves and everyone around you."

Still laughing, Naruto managed to say, "C'mon Saber you can't really think that "Ni" is dang-" A roaring cracking noise filled the clearing, halting all laughter. Slowly craning his head to the left, Naruto sees a large crater where several trees once stood. Chunks of wood begin falling around the crater from the sky.

"…Holy shit. It is dangerous."

The servants all looked shaken, but smug.

"Now that you've learned your lesson, let us continue eating."

Once again, the Servants dug into what was left of the food. Naruto grinned, having one last test to conduct.

"You wanna know what your eating right now?"

They nodded, not bothering to look up from their food.

Naruto grinned, "Rabbit."

All movement stopped. One minute passes. Two minutes. They jump away from the food. Saber summons Excalibur, and Avenger summons Clarent Blood Arthur. A pillar of gold and red rises to the heavens where the food once lay.

Naruto and the others collapse laughing again, and the servants all look a bit green.

**A/N:**

**Monty Python all the way. :D**

**Same shtick: Formatting got messed up along the way. Sour.**

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Preview:

_"You're nothing! Return to nothing!"_

_"What's this? Insects should just roll over and die, before the splendor that is the king."_

_"The ends never justify the means. Men aren't gods! You have no right to toy with the lives of others!"_

_"Two whole years. You fucking hero. Two whole years, of war, of death."_

_"Welcome to this banquet!"_

_"All I ever wanted... Was to be loved by someone."_

_"What is your wish?"_

_"What do you want to do with the Holy Grail?"_

_"What is the measure of a wish."_

_"Did he blow up a fucking hotel?"_

_"Understood. Moving out now."_

Season Two of Fate: Zero Hour Redux.

The building collapsed, in a burst of fire and destruction. Glass shattered, masonry creaked, supports crumbled.

And slowly, ever so slowly, the giant castle began sagging, falling, ruined beyond repair.

At the end of the day, Einzbern Castle would be no more. All because of one angry blond with exploding clones.

Said blond glared balefully at the ruined castle.

"Your move. Kiritsugu Emiya."

**A/N: **

**Mass property damage all the way. Second season's going to start with a bang, literally.**

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Afterword:

**Whoa, it's been what, three months? Three months since I started this story.**

**It's been quite a ride, what do you all say?**

**I know for a fact that I had fun. I hope that you all had fun, otherwise you wouldn't be here, right?**

**You know, writing on this site... A very large portion of it if because I WANT to write on this site.**

**Reviews are all fun and good, but really, one has to have the will, the drive to create something brand new in order to publish a story.**

**I liked writing this story. I like writing this story. I know that I'm going to enjoy writing the next few chapters of this story.**

**It's really a complex process. I started with my beginning. I ended up with my ending. And now, I have to fill in the middle.**

**It's a long, complex process. It's tedious at times, challenging, hard. But that's life, isn't it? If life was boringly easy, for what purpose would we live?**

**I know that I had fun writing this story. I write for fun, for my own entertainment.**

**To tell the truth, I didn't think this idea would become so popular. Over four-hundred and thirty reviews, six-hundred favorites and follows, and one-hundred thousand views.**

**Not bad for a student, eh?**

**Maybe this story isn't the best story out there. I know for a fact I'm not the best writer. I'm just an average joe, trying to make his way in the world. I'm not Engulfing Silence, or Kur0Kishi, or gabriel blessing, or... You get the idea.**

**I'm not the best writer in the world. I might not even be a good writer. But, at the very least, I'm trying. Always keep trying. Never give up. Unless you're making a tactical retreat. In that case, run like hell.**

**And so, Season One of this story comes to a close.**

**It was fun. And it's not over yet. Season Two is in the works. Season Two will be published in a few months. After all, I am a student. I have real life issues.**

**But I'd like to personally thank each and every single person reading this little afterword. Thanks for all of the support, you wonderful people.**

**Now get out there, and go kick reality to the curb.**

**It's been a pleasure. I look forward to 'seeing' you all again, very soon.**

**-Rein Hellfire**

(Line break button is broken. Sour.)

Q and A:

Now this... This is... Where you guys ask me questions, and I answer to the best of my abilities. Go crazy.

**Q: roughstar333: What inspired you to write this story?**

**A: **The idea came to me as I was rewatching the Fate/Zero anime. I wanted to see a Naruto and Fate/Stay story set in the Fate/Zero continuity. I didn't FIND a story set in the Fate/Zero category that had been updated recently.

That's how this story was conceived.

**Q: Deus Swiftblade: So, would the second season be a different story, or just the next chapter?**

**A: **Second Season is going to be on the same story, just as a different chapter.

**Q: chins4tw: will the second season be a different story or continue on this one?**

**A:** It's going to be on this story. Everything is going to be on this story.

**Q: guest: Waste of a chapter.**

**A: **Guess what? I don't give a fuck. If you subtract your one braincell from your other, second and last braincell, that's the amount of fucks I give.

In case (Because) you're incapable of figuring that statement out because you're too... Special (Read: Stupid and petty), I can dumb things down to account for your 'special needs'.

I don't give a single fuck. Honestly, are you really going to expend time and effort to tell me off with a freaking anonymous message? How rude...

**Q: Orez Lanrete: Wait what the hell just happen with the in and the rabbit thing?**

**A: **It's a reference to Monty Python.

**Q: wejkoo1: I just have one question...What will Naruto be paired with IF there are pairings.**

**A: **I think I state that he'll be paired with Saber in an earlier A/N. I might decide to keep it platonic, but that's a very small chance of that happening.

**Q: 1mikethepokemaster: i don't know if you will replay but are you still doing the saber and naruto pairing and f you are, are you doing there development sowly just a question. I love this story though i read the whole story of part 1 in 2 to 3 days and i can't wait until part 2. Maybe you could do a continuion of this story with fate/stay. Like have Naruto and Saber fouding the gril not really good or whatever and have them destroy it and have Naruto die but in reality he survived but lost all memory of saber and the 4th war. Maybe you can have degreass in age and have him stay with kariya and sakura, and have him be shirou best friend. After the ten years time skip he get pull into the war again with and he start to remember who he is and who saber is again, Shirou can be with Mordrid. Have shirou make Mordrid see she does not need everyone approval and have there relationship develop from than on just a thought.**

**A: ..**. Okay, let's do this in order.

A Saber and Naruto pairing is what I'm working towards. I have no idea how to write romance though, so that... That's going to be interesting. And yes, it's a slow development. Not fond of the 'whirlwind romance' idea.

I state that I might do a sequel if I can garner the nerve. However, I have no time to do so. If anyone else wants to write a version of this story in Fate/Stay Night, they're free to do so. I will happily endorse your story if that's what it takes.


End file.
